


Dragon's Breath

by klarsin



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Chanbaek are bffl, Dragons, Graphic Description, M/M, Magic, Mentions of Kaistal, Unrequited Love, Yixing and Junmyeon learn about the wonders of fatherhood, clue is right there, guess which pairing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-12 09:46:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 90,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9066457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klarsin/pseuds/klarsin
Summary: While the Imperial Kingdom wages war with the Union to expand their empire, two individuals are born with extraordinary powers, the combination of which could result in the catastrophic destruction of the universe.In other words, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol go on an adventure.





	1. Prologue

In the thick sea of darkness, speckled with stardust and roaming planets, two dragons traversed the calm waves.  
The two beings could not measure time, nor feel its passage; in solitude they remained for hours, centuries or even millennia, unaware that they were not alone, but in fact searching for each other.  
Silver-scaled and lithe in appearance, the smaller of the two dragons was but a mere ribbon gliding through the empty space; it shone a subdued light, a speck of blue compared to the brilliant stars which it often passed.  
While this dragon was delicate, the larger of the two was majestic and proud; a fiery gold mane decorated its head, sprinkled with remnants of stars that it destroyed in its wake. It darted through solar systems, an endless supply of energy at its disposal with an ego to match.

By some twist of fate, the two came to meet. Driven by curiosity and loneliness, they touched ever so slightly, to find comfort in the knowledge that they were never alone. That their lonesome existence meant something.

But the universe was cruel, unforgiving and swift in their delivery of punishment.  
The two became overwhelmed by a strong force of blinding white light, which tore their bodies into dust and scattered their souls into a weaving spiral.  
From their once beautiful bodies formed a planet rich in resources, and from their radiant souls formed the Sun and Moon to watch over the planet as the seeds of life were sown, ready to engulf it.

Over thousands of years, the first humans came to be. Civilisations took shape, small communities turned into empires that spanned continents and in amongst it all, worship of the two dragons grew strong, each named the Sun Dragon and the Moon Dragon respectively.  
Once every one hundred years or so, drops of the dragons' soul fell from the Sun or the Moon, giving life to an individual with powers of the dragon which granted them existence.  
Rarely would more than one individual inherit powers around the same period, but even more rare was their co-existence.

If two people, each with the power of one dragon, were to meet, catastrophe would surely strike.

\- "The Dragons' Sacrifice", written by the First Court Mage


	2. The General

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Death, mentions of death, depictions of death. A fair amount of death. (nothing too graphic though)

Cries of women and children fell on deaf ears as the Imperial army marched through the war-torn town.  
Immense heat rained down from the sun as the summer's heatwave took its toll, making the stench from the decaying bodies almost unbearable. Soldiers in their steel armour, embellished with the drying blood of the innocent, grit their teeth as their form of protection slowly cooked them; wherever possible, they walked in the shade as they made their final rounds through the town.

With bodies slung over their shoulders, each soldier marched towards a large pit in the centre of town and threw the corpses in with little care. Despite the soulless eyes that met theirs, the men had hardened themselves, being taught to disregard any emotion deemed unnecessary.  
Once all the corpses had been collected, every solider shed the metal on their back in unison, breathing a stifled sigh of relief, so as not to displease the General.  
After the mass grave was doused with flammable liquid, a torch was lit and thrown into the pit, igniting the dead immediately. A huge roaring fire was born, its talon-like flames clawing at the air. Streams of black smokes emerged, thick and heavy, carrying with it the smell of burning flesh.

The group of soldiers parted, revealing General Kim Junmyeon in his armour embossed with gold, framed by a velvet red cape embroidered with the Imperial family's insignia. Unfazed, the man watched the people he killed slowly turn to ashes.

War had warped the General, turning him into the stone-faced monster that the subjects of the Imperial kingdom feared. From a young age, he had witnessed the death of loved ones at the hands of men in steel masks; there was no more room for empathy and kindness in his heart, just a longing for the enemy's blood to spill.

 

\---

 

The barracks were silent at night, save for the crackling of the cook's dying fire.

Junmyeon had began to fall into a deep slumber in his tent, only to be woken by the chimes of bells in the distance. He awoke immediately, his first instinct being to grab his sword from beside him, but he soon lay it down again. The sound had no malice to it, instead stirring up several emotions in the General's chest; the chimes morphed into an angelic melody that reminded Junmyeon of his mother's warm embrace and his father's proud smile.

Like a moth to a flame, he followed the ringing bells.

To Junmyeon's dismay, he found himself at the pit again with nothing but silence and the smell of death to greet him.

Except for the soft whimpering of a baby.

The General, upon a closer look, saw a newborn baby boy laying atop the pile of charred corpses; soot covered the baby's ashen skin and his eyes shone a bright yellow, a colour harsher than the sun's rays.

Compelled by some mysterious force, Junmyeon climbed into the pit to retrieve the baby, who had calmed down the moment he was in the General's arms. Despite the warm heat still lingering in the air, the boy was cold to the touch, so Junmyeon, in an unnatural stroke of kindness, held him closer to his chest.

Something unusual awoke in the stern General. The strange baby, seemingly born from the ashes, started a chain reaction of emotions in Junmyeon, which he believed he had done away with long ago. Sadness mixed with happiness, anger, pain and...guilt. A foreign feeling.

He saw the faces of the many struck down by his sword and his words. He saw the faces of the young soldiers who died under his command. He saw the faces of the children whose parents were ripped from their hands, bringing back memories of himself as a young boy. Junmyeon's throat tightened, his fingers became numb.

Overwhelmed, tears welled up in the General's eyes - the first in God knows how long.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, knowing he would never be forgiven. Junmyeon held the baby tighter. "I'm sorry."

The baby breathed gently and in spite of the darkness, the General could see the boy's cheeks turn from a lifeless grey to a rosy pink.

  

\---

 

On the night that the General found the baby, he returned to the barracks, which had been thrown into chaos trying to find him. Once the soldiers spotted him, every single one gathered, perplexed about the newborn child sleeping in their General's arms.  
At that moment, Junmyeon laid down his sword and spoke.

"This will be my last campaign with all of you." His voice rumbled with confidence. "It has been a pleasure commanding such a fine group of capable men, I owe my victory to each and every one of you. I wish all of you well in your future battles and may the Dragons look kindly upon your souls."

Stunned into silence, each man was taken aback by the General's sudden display of kindness. Not once had he praised them, to the point that the idea seemed impossible. But here he was, the so-called "monster" of the Imperial kingdom, showing humility.  
A round of applause erupted across the ranks, disbelief still evident on their faces.

For the rest of the evening, they had an impromptu feast with the General at the centre.  
Whispers of Junmyeon being bewitched by the "devil child" quickly dissipated the moment they saw the General brimming with life and joy, something that no man had ever witnessed before.

He seemed younger, kinder...more human.

Though the Imperial family was reluctant to let him go, seeing his contribution to the empire's expansion, they allowed his leave out of respect. After Junmyeon gave back his armour and weapons, he left the palace feeling as if the shackles of his past had finally been removed. A free man, he liked to think.

When he had settled into his home in Duras village, southwest of the Imperial capital Eris, he found that his blood still ached for the feel of the sword in his hands. Hence, Junmyeon began training young boys in combat, hoping not only to pass on his skills, but also his words of wisdom. He wanted them to grow up as soldiers free of hatred and bitterness, unlike he had done; he didn't want their spark to be killed before it could fully grow, pure and bright. Soon, the Imperial family caught wind of this and, unable to contain their enthusiasm, urged to support the retired General's project. After several negotiations - partly due to Junmyeon's stubbornness - what started out as daily lessons in the old town hall with the town's children, blossomed into a fully fledged academy, of which Junmyeon became the Head Swordsman.

While that side had run its course with relative ease, raising a baby was certainly not an easy task.  
He named the boy "Chanyeol" after the First Court Mage, who had been a kind of role model when he was a child.

Although Junmyeon didn't want to investigate the baby's origins, he had an inkling that Chanyeol possessed the ability to use magic; after all, who would abandon a child on a pile of burnt corpses? What baby is born with skin as pallid as the dead's? More importantly, what normal human has eyes that glow a brilliant yellow in the presence of sunlight? Those were questions that Junmyeon often pondered about, but never really wanted the answers to, afraid of what he might uncover.  
What he really wanted answers to was how nappies could be changed cleanly, or the meaning behind a baby's cry, or why they eat mashed peas one day then hate it the next.

Junmyeon would bring Chanyeol with him to the training grounds when the baby was a few months old and he had just started teaching children. Each day, the mothers would coo and pinch Chanyeol's cheeks as they dropped their own sons off; the baby didn't mind, seeming to gleefully bask in the attention, much to the chagrin of the older children. The women also gave Junmyeon boxed lunches and supplies for the baby; it was no secret that many of the women found the retired General extremely attractive, which their husbands could do very little about as most of them had actually served under him.

Despite the extra help, it was a fact that Junmyeon knew next to nothing about being a father. At one point, he had only realised the food he was giving Chanyeol was far too hot when the baby whacked the bowl on to the man's face, to then find that the squash purée was actually _burning_ his skin. Horrified and completely disregarding the mess, Junmyeon quickly inspected the inside of Chanyeol's mouth for scalds, only to find nothing.  
The man had stared at his son in disbelief. Chanyeol, on the other hand, simply began gurgling a laugh - high-pitched and sweet - as he pounded his tiny fists on the wooden table; his smile was large and framed by cushion-like cheeks that pushed his eyes up into crescents. Junmyeon remembered this day clearly not because of how he almost burnt his baby, but because it was the day that Chanyeol said his first words.

"Ma…ma?"

Junmyeon was momentarily stunned into silence, followed by a wave of giddiness, then confusion.

"I'm pretty sure I'm the dad, Chanyeol." He laughed, patting his son's head.

"Ma. Ma."

"Daaa….daaa." Junmyeon leaned in and pinched the baby's cheeks to punctuate each syllable. "C'mon, say it…Dada!"

"Mama!"

Junmyeon made an exaggerated frown, evoking more baby giggles. "Da _da_."

"Ma _ma_." Chanyeol emphasised with a loud _thump_ on the table using his fist.

"Fine, I don't see why I can't be both." Junmyeon sighed, ruffling the soft mop of hair on the baby's head. "But if I'm Mama, then you're…Yeollie."

The baby squealed, as if to say he liked the nickname, and for the umpteenth time that day, Junmyeon's heart melted. Unable to control himself, he devolved into incoherent baby talk and high-pitched coos, all while squeezing his son in a gentle hug. Perhaps the General's change wasn't the work of magic or demons, but a maternal instinct that had been suppressed for years.  
Junmyeon concluded that not only his son was the cutest thing in the world, but he was immune to heat, which consolidated his belief that Chanyeol did indeed possess magic.

When Chanyeol turned five, Junmyeon began enrolling him in the Solis Academy of Magic, a school attached to a monastery dedicated to the worship of the Sun Dragon, which was only a ten-minute walk from the town. It also meant that Junmyeon could dedicate more time to his own academy, which at that point had just gained its status as a School of Swordsmanship by the honour of the Imperial family.  
Since Junmyeon had to leave too early and therefore couldn't take Chanyeol to school, his neighbour's wife offered to take him in his stead as they had also enrolled their son into Solis.  
Their son's name was Baekhyun, and he showed a strikingly similar personality to Chanyeol.  
The day the two boys had first met, an instant friendship had formed, starting with Baekhyun throwing his older sister's doll at Chanyeol.

"You're the dad, I'm the mum! If you catch me, then it's my turn to look after our baby~!" Baekhyun shouted behind him as he ran down the street, pretending to fly like a bird for whatever reason. "Don't drop her!"

Chanyeol, without a second thought, chased after the smaller boy with the doll dangling in his grip. "What's your name?"

"Baekhyun! But you can call me Baek. " Baekhyun beamed, stopping In his tracks to talk.

"Then I'm Chanyeol! But you can call me Chanyeol." The boy grinned smugly.

"How about Big Ears?" The smaller boy smirked, tugging at Chanyeol's ears playfully.

The taller of two pouted. "Ah!" Baekhyun exclaimed, suddenly squishing Chanyeol's face into a makeshift smile. "The wind just changed! You don't want to stay like that for the rest of your life."

Completely forgetting about the game, the pair chatted on the way to school, taking it in turns to swing the doll around.  
From that point onward, the two were inseparable.

As Chanyeol grew up, Junmyeon became busier, often leaving for weeks at a time. Although he always had Baekhyun around, it didn't stop him from terribly missing his father.

"Father!" The yellow-eyed boy, now around eight years old, ran across the garden, and leaped into the retired General's arms. Junmyeon laughed as he raised him up into the air in one swift motion.

"Ah, you've gotten bigger again, Chanyeol." Junmyeon beamed, carefully placing the boy down again. "If I lift you up again, my back might break!"

Chanyeol sulked and settled with hugging the man instead, burying his nose into his father's thick coat.  
"Don't go again...I missed you." The boy's voice was a mere whimper, but it was enough to tug at Junmyeon's heartstrings.

The old General knelt down and ruffled his son's hair, giving him a reassuring smile. "I missed you too, Yeollie. I promise I won't take so long next time."

Chanyeol thought about it for a second, then held out his pinkie finger. "...Promise?"

Junmyeon took the boy's finger in his own, squeezing it tightly. "Promise."  
The moment his son's face lit up, a giant toothy grin stretching almost ear-to-ear, Junmyeon felt a surge of happiness.

"Have you had lunch yet at Baekhyun's?"

"No, I wanted to have lunch with you!" Chanyeol latched on to his father with eagerness, nearly causing the man to his balance.

"Okay, okay, how about a hotpot?"

 

\---

 

Light filtered in through the cracks of the thick curtains, leaving streaks of gold along the length of Junmyeon's office. Muffled sounds of swords hitting wood followed by the shouts of young boys resounded outside; scuffling of feet on dry earth mixed with the heavy ticking of a grandfather clock lulled the Head Swordsman, who could barely keep his eyes open long enough to read the documents laid out on his redwood desk - a gift from the Emperor, and not subtly so as the Imperial insignia was engraved on the front.

A sharp knock brought the man back to his senses. "Come in."

As the guest opened the door, a stream of light illuminated his face. "Ah, Minho." Junmyeon greeted the man with a small smile. "Take a seat."

Choi Minho, his second in command, entered the room with a poorly hidden frown on his face. "Junmyeon, you haven't replied to the Emperor's _urgent_ message yet. Emphasis on _urgent_."

"I thought I've already made myself clear. I won't be returning to the Imperial army anytime soon." The man in question answered curtly.

"When I say reply, I meant say something that doesn't sound like you're betraying your loyalty to the Empire!" Minho slammed the letter on his hand on to the desk, turning it to level with Junmyeon's gaze. "His Majesty still doesn't think, doesn't _want_ to think, that you've changed. That you've softened into this." He gestured towards his superior.

The Head Swordsman read the contents of the letter, ending it with a scoff. "So he thinks offering my son a place in the most prestigious magic academy on this continent will persuade me?"

"Well, yes? This is an opportunity for Chanyeol to grow into one of the finest mages this country has to offer; he could become the Court Mage for goodness sake! That's what every mage aspires to be!"

" _No_ , this is an opportunity for Chanyeol to serve under the Imperial army as a battle mage in the future. They'll send him to the front-lines immediately because he is my son, and they think I produced another monster just like me. Martis Academy of Magic is no different from any other School of Swordsmanship, they just produce soldiers with the ability to use magic. Nothing more, nothing less." Junmyeon bit back, punctuating his last sentence by throwing the litter in the bin.

"How is it that eight years ago you looked at a dying child without so much as batting an eyelid, but now you can't even bare to see a scratch on your son's face? And don't tell me it's because you became a father. I was in your final campaign, I _saw_ the change in you. No man changes like that overnight because of a child, all those child nurturing books be damned." Minho's voice began to increase in volume, laced with a sense of unease. Though he knew what Junmyeon was like now, all those years as a soldier serving under him were traumatizing to say the least. "What made you pick up an orphaned child anyway?"

Junmyeon never told his men that he found Chanyeol lying on the corpses, nor about the abnormal glow in his eyes that seemed to scrutinise his soul. Nor that, in the summertime, he could feel Chanyeol losing his grip on the world, as if he would shed his skin to reveal something that Junmyeon didn't ever want to imagine. He didn't want to say that there were occasions where he felt scared of his son, that there was a legitimate fear that the boy instilled in him.  
He didn't want answers, that's why he never questioned the change in himself. Junmyeon knew that it was Chanyeol's doing, but he loved his son far too much to allow his worries to consume him.

"I…there are some things that just can't be explained. I don't know why I suddenly felt the way I did…but there are moments when he reminds me of myself. Of my deceased brother, of the parents that loved me, of the soldiers that feared me. Emotions that I had never felt before, it made me feel so open, like my weaknesses were on display for everyone to see. I couldn't leave that baby there, not after that." Junmyeon's gazed at a point far away, avoiding the look Minho was giving him. Was it one of contempt? Pity? Discussing one's feelings so readily was always shunned in the Imperial army, he had at least expected the younger man to scorn him.

It surprised the older man to see a smile on his second in command's face. "I understand, I think…actually, not really." Minho shrugged, allowing his tense shoulders to loosen up. "I have a younger brother, but I guess that it's the same principle. I respect your privacy, so I won't pry...this time."

"Thank you." Junmyeon returned with a curt nod. "Tell the messenger that I'm more of use teaching young children here than fighting on the front lines. My body just isn't the same anymore, I'm getting old." The man cracked his backed for emphasis, followed by a strained groan like an elderly man's.

"I hardly think mid-thirties is old. " Minho chuckled, taking note of his reply.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Minho. Now go." The Head Swordsman shooed him away, which was met with light laughter. "Oh, and Chanyeol will _not_ be enrolling at Martis".

 

\---

 

Junmyeon returned home that night to find both Baekhyun and Chanyeol patiently sitting around the dining table, a piping hot stew in the centre.

"Welcome back!" Both boys chanted in unison, swinging their legs in time with each other.

"If I didn't know any better, I would've thought that both of you were twins." Junmyeon kissed Chanyeol's cheek and patted Baekhyun's head. "Did your dad make this Baekhyun?"

The boy nodded proudly. "Yeah, he wouldn't let my mum in the kitchen, not after what happened last time."

"Baek will be here for three days this time!" Chanyeol added, talking through a mouthful of beef. Baekhyun's parents were even busier than Junmyeon, being battlefield medics; the war on the western border with the Union had worsened, but the Imperial kingdom had ample supplies, enough to comfortably last the coming winter.

"Chanyeol don't talk with your mouth full!" Baekhyun scolded him, passing him a napkin along with an angelic smile. Chanyeol hated it when Baekhyun acted like a goody two-shoes; just an hour before, he wanted to turn the white hydrangeas _blue_ using a spell he learnt at Solis. Thankfully, Chanyeol managed to stop him in time just as he started the incantation for frog synthesis, because Baekhyun had apparently 'misread' the words.

The trio discussed their days, including how school went and Chanyeol and Baekhyun's group project on "The Importance of Magic". Junmyeon laughed at how the duo's main point was that magic was "cool", which therefore made it important. The man omitted the Emperor's offer to enroll Chanyeol into Martis.

That night, the boys shared Chanyeol's bed like usual, and Junmyeon stared at the ceiling of his bedroom hoping to eventually grow tired.  
Insomnia was a pain, but there was little Junmyeon could do about it; the chamomile tea Baekhyun's mum made was ineffective, and counting sheep like Minho had suggested just flat out didn't work.

He couldn't tell when he fell asleep, or if he even actually fell asleep, but Junmyeon found himself in a distorted version of his bedroom. Despite the lack of the door or windows, everything else was intact, down to the stain left due to a certain accident with a nappy and hyperactive baby limbs.

Suddenly, shimmering gold dust swirled across the ceiling, like a colony of iridescent ants aimlessly marching to a regular beat. Junmyeon squinted his eyes, then the dust expanded into translucent petals that formed a circle of sorts in the air, leaving a milky white substance that filled the centre.  
Images formed in the liquid, faces of the dead and of the living. He saw his family, the faces of which he had nearly forgotten, lost in the untouched crevices of his memory; his little brother's cries and his laughter, both of which bore an uncanny resemblance to Chanyeol's, ringed clearly in his mind; his mother's lullaby, his father's soothing words, the smile of his first love…he saw and heard it all again.

And again.

And again.

The dream kept playing on a loop all through the night until the voices were an indiscernible mess and the faces lost in the white liquid. Junmyeon woke up the next morning in a cold sweat, the blood drained from his fingertips and toes.

There was a reason why he had insomnia. A reason why he changed, why those emotions made him so different.  
Chanyeol _did_ do something to him, and it wasn't just when they first met. It had been going on for years now, enveloping Junmyeon in a murky haze.  
Fear. Dread. Doubt.  
It was those unpleasant feelings that the Imperial army worked hard to completely remove from its recruits, and over the years since he took in Chanyeol, Junmyeon slowly regained it.  
The emotion itself wasn't his worry, but that it was always in the presence of his son. That innocent face and lively smile, a boy comparable to a puppy; what was there to be afraid of?

Chanyeol's episodes in the summer came back to him.  
When his eyes glowed that brilliant yellow, a sense of foreboding overcame the man back then.

The boy _reeked of death_.

But whose?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chanyeol and Kyungsoo don't actually /start/ their adventure until a little bit later, I mean, I am beginning from the moment that they were born, so it's going to take a while.


	3. The Merchant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Children are being hurt in this

A moonlit pathway guided the young mother and her child through the forest. Treading quickly on the soft soil, she occasionally looked behind her, watching the lights of the village fade into the night.

With a baby in her hands, bundled in cotton and sound asleep, the young mother carefully made her way to the lakeside. A full moon watched over the silent lake, a gentle breeze grazed over the water every so often, causing the moon's reflection to distort slightly.  
The mother's eyes stayed fixed on the distorted moon as she plunged herself into the water, slumbering child tightly in her grip.  
The sound disrupted the sleep of the forest animals, who instinctively perked their ears up and surveyed their surroundings, before relaxing again once no danger had been spotted.  
Broad ripples flowed across the lake, eventually becoming still again until only a perfect reflection of the moon remained.

Silent. Just as it was before.

Blended in the shadows of the thick fir trees, a hooded figure cautiously stepped towards the lakeside to investigate. He carefully placed the satchel on his back down beside him, and filled his canteen, all the while eyeing the immediate vicinity of the lake.  
Suddenly, a silvery white fog emerged along the forest floor, engulfing the undergrowth before spilling onto the lake. The man drew his dagger from his belt, expecting bandits to appear; the fog was probably some magical trickery of sorts, and he couldn't afford to let his guard down. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the fog retreated without incident.  
Confused, the man gripped his dagger tighter and immediately swung around when heard a muffled sound.  
A baby's cry, weak and struggling.  
The man sheathed his weapon and approached the source of the noise, which was laying amongst the reeds while half-immersed in the water. With skin paler than the moon's light, he would've mistaken the child for dead were it not for its laboured whimpers and unnaturally white eyes, shining like beacons in the shadow of the plants.  
Throwing his inhibitions aside, the man picked up the baby, who was clearly a boy, and cradled him in his arms. After covering the child in a cotton blanket from his satchel, the man walked back into the forest to reach the road he had originally strayed from.  
When he found the well-kept cobblestone road illuminated by lanterns, the light shone on the child's face, revealing skin full of colour and eyes a deep shade of brown. Perhaps it was the moon playing tricks on his sight, but the boy seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary.

As he traversed the road to the city, the man didn't turn around to look at the forest path he left. He did not see the trail of dead plants, withered and black, left in his wake. Nor did he know that a lonely mother lay at the bottom of the lake, holding on to nothing but an empty bundle of sheets.

 

\---

 

Zhang Yixing was a passionate man born in the Union. Raised in a well-off family surrounded by servants, he was left wanting for nothing; he could pursue any hobby with ease, and taste any dish by the snap of the finger. By the age of eight, he had mastered the piano, the guitar, the violin, as well as a multitude of other arts.  
His parents, his peers and anyone who had met him called him a prodigy. A genius. Perfect by all definitions, he had it all.  
Upon reaching adolescence, Yixing wanted more in life than just riches and adoration. He wanted to travel, to see what lay beyond the borders of the Union.  
After refusing his inheritance and the family business at the age of eighteen, he was determined to set off for the Imperial kingdom despite the conflict that had been brewing between the two countries for centuries.  
Of course, his mother, the head of the household, was none too pleased about that.

"Do you even know what you're saying? Why on Earth do you think that it's okay to leave?" His mother fumed, tapping her polished red boots on the marble floor in agitation. "What about your _family_? We've given you everything! And you want to _leave_?!"

Yixing stayed silent, but he didn't break eye contact with his mother. He looked into her eyes with resolution, his lips a firm line on his face.  
The woman slapped him without hesitation. His little brother, only ten at the time, watched with tears in his eyes.

"Why do you want to leave?" His mother asked through gritted teeth. "Zhang Yixing, answer me!"

"Because I want to be more than just a rich woman's son." He burst out, hand stretch out on his chest. "I'm not perfect. I _hate_ that word. I want to grow as a person, and this." He gestured vigorously at the expensive paintings, statues and marble pillars surrounding him. "This isn't going to help me! I want to see the world, to experience everything rather than being tied down to a job where I won't even have time for my own children!" Bitterness and anger spilt from his lips, a certain toxicity that he didn't mean to add.

His mother was taken aback. All his life, Yixing had kept quiet, believing that he never had a reason to complain because he thought he didn't even have the right to, especially when everything was handed to him on a golden platter. It was lonely. A loneliness that not even his sweet little brother could ease. Not once did he feel connected with others; his smiles were empty, and his interest in his so-called friends were fake.

Yixing believed that he was nothing but the sum of his mother's wealth. He was the result of her successes and failures, a mould filled with rubies and gold.  
What he feared most was becoming a carbon copy of her; while he loved his family, they never felt human to him, just robots powered by money.

So he left the next morning. As the sun peaked its head along the horizon, bathing the white buildings in a muted orange gleam, he carried his belongings in a satchel and headed for the harbour.  
A new life awaited him just across the sea, far away from the luxuries that sickened him.

What did in fact await him was something far more unpleasant than he had imagined. Living in that mansion shielded him from the true nature of people, and the extent of the Union and the Imperial kingdom's poor relations.

After his arrival in the Imperial port town of Mirades, it was no secret that Yixing was from the Union, down to his clothes and the way he talked. Xenophobic remarks were casually thrown at him; strangers spat at him, telling him to go home; and children were ushered away by their mothers whenever he got too close. Resentment filled their eyes, a sight so foreign to Yixing, yet it did not break his resolve.

His first job at a pub ended the next day when the customers refused to be served by "fucking Union scum". The next job resulted in a potential arrest as his female colleague screamed when he had accidentally bumped into her, calling it sexual harassment.  
By the end of the month, Yixing was exhausted and staying at an inn with the last of his money. His cheeks were gaunt and dark circles had formed under his eyes; exploring the world so far was nothing at all like he had hoped it would be.

The following evening, he happened to come across a travelling merchant sitting in the bar of the inn with the contents of her bag strewn out across the floor. Yixing quickly bent down to help, swiftly packing the merchant's bag for her.

"Thanks! Uh…"

"Yixing." He held out his hand, which the merchant shook in return. The man was surprised, that was the first form of friendly contact he had received since he stepped foot in Mirades.

"I'm Amber." The woman smiled warmly, not a hint of prejudice on her face. "Like the stone."

"But prettier." Yixing remarked.

"What a line!" Amber laughed, patting the man's shoulder. "Better not try anything funny with me, Union boy."

Yixing tensed up at the word 'Union'; nothing good came after that word. Amber noticed this, noting the pitiful look on the man's otherwise angelic face. "Sit down, I'll buy you a drink."

They chatted over several pints of beer and scampi with a side of chips. At that point, the man decided that it wouldn't harm him to talk about his past, which Amber had been pestering him about.  
After listing the details of his previous lifestyle, his journey to the Imperial kingdom and the prejudice that he was immediately met with, Amber ordered another round of beer and a big plate of chicken sandwiches.

"You know, Yixing, it's common knowledge that the closer you are to the Union, the more likely you'll come across these anti-Union idiots." Amber swirled the beer in her hands, her eyes fixed on a point somewhere far away. "If you had travelled a few more days west, it would've saved you the trouble of being hounded by these cu- _hic_ …mmm…sorry, too much beer."

The man carefully pried the glass from her hands, instead handing her a glass of water and a napkin to wipe the froth on her upper lip. "Thanks Xing…You're so sweet, who could possibly hate you? Oh yeah, those cu- _hic_ ….ahh, sorry, sorry."

"Would it be okay if I travel with you? I think I'd like to be a travelling merchant, get to explore the continent and all." Yixing asked hesitantly, already preparing for rejection.

"Of course! I was going to ask you that anyway. Why would I abandon you in this hellhole with all of these cu- _hic_ …damn this beer just isn't letting up." The merchant pushed the empty glasses away, picking up the last sandwich instead. "I could be your teacher, wouldn't that be fun? By the way, you don't mind if I eat this right?... Nevermind, already took a bite."

"Thank you." Yixing gave her a small smile, a warm feeling rising in his chest. "I really mean it."

The pair left the next morning, ready to begin their travels across the Imperial kingdom.

 

\---

 

A notable story that Yixing vividly remembered was when the duo came across a broken pair of eyeglasses in the middle of the road, which Amber thought to fix up in order to pass the time.  
Out of curiosity, Yixing wore the glasses. "Woah."

"Woah what?" Amber asked, eyes still fixed on the road as she navigated their cart.

"Everything is so _clear_." Yixing started looking around, repeatedly taking the glasses off then back on to compare. "I didn't even know that tree had leaves! That was a bird? I thought that was a giant bug!"

"Wait, you're short-sighted and you didn't even know?"

"I thought the world was just naturally blurry."

Amber shook her head and didn't question him any further. Yixing kept those glasses since.

After several years of learning the trade with Amber, their journey together had to end at some point.  
Her hometown of Tenilur had been struck by an unknown illness, and her sisters were deathly sick. The merchant woman left immediately, reassuring Yixing that she would rejoin him one day.

For the first time in seven years, he was alone again; although he knew that he would have to eventually go solo, his lack of mental preparation made the loneliness much worse.  
It didn't help that his current delivery had turned to shambles: his cart, or rather Amber's cart, had been ransacked by bandits on his way to Orphell city, leaving him to fend for the package residing in his satchel.

As he walked down the road bordered by a dense forest, Yixing suddenly heard the gentle chimes of bells. A mysterious force drove him to investigate.  
Images of him holding his baby brother for the first time appeared in his mind, followed by memories of the time he made pumpkin cookies with the maids. Lastly, there was a vision of him consoling his mother after his father's death, her shoulders were hunched and small, shaking as she quietly sobbed on the floor of her bedroom.

Yixing wanted to stop, to see more of those visions. He missed them; he didn't want anything to do with his family, but he missed them and would have given anything in that moment to see them once more.  
He needed them again.

 

But the bells were calling…

 

\---

 

Yixing named the baby "Kyungsoo" after the war hero that campaigned for peace between the Union and Imperial kingdom two centuries ago.

Having taken care of his little brother in the past, raising Kyungsoo was relatively easy.

Being a travelling merchant, however, was not.

The man turned out to be helpless without Amber. Even though his deliveries were quick and his stock well cared for, something always went wrong: the parcel would be damaged, or there was a miscommunication resulting in deliveries to the middle of nowhere, or the occasional "I said binoculars, not barracuda!".

Eventually, Yixing gave up the travelling part of "travelling merchant", deciding to set up shop in Tenilur after the outbreak had cleared.

Amber, who had taken up woodworking during her stay there, entered a state of shock after seeing both Yixing and Kyungsoo.  
"I leave for one year and you do _this_!" She exclaimed, fanning herself with a sheet of wood.  
Doing his best to calm her down, Yixing explained that the baby was abandoned on the side of the lake, excluding the part with the bells.

After several months, Yixing's shop had been set up with the aid of the villagers, who were more than welcoming to Unioners. The town, he eventually found, was twinned with his own back in the Union, and despite the strained relations, the residents were generally amicable towards foreigners. He dubbed it "The Lakeside Moon", as a homage to Kyungsoo's origins.

When the baby was just two months old, Yixing noticed that although he was very quiet and well-behaved, a mess seemed to just naturally form around him. Whether it was a pile of leaves blown in through an open window, despite the lack of any wind outside, or the toys on the highest shelf suddenly falling conveniently to Kyungsoo's side. It was due these abnormal occurrences that Yixing rarely allowed him in the shop.

What worried Yixing the most was Kyungsoo's behaviour during cold winter nights, especially when the moon was in clear view. He had once woken up to see Kyungsoo propped up in his cradle, staring blankly at the moon, the light of which shone brighter than day through the window. The boy's eyes were white in colour, a thick shade but wispy in form; it glazed over his irises like passing clouds, never still and always moving.

Yixing frowned, approaching the baby with caution. But he had learnt that caution was the last thing he would ever need when it came to Kyungsoo, so he lifted the baby up, pressed the boy's chubby cheek to his lips and blew, creating a farting noise that snapped the child out his trance.  
A look of horror was on his face, before melting into fits of laughter; Kyungsoo wriggled happily in his father's arms, signalling the man to do it again.  
Instead, Yixing pulled the baby into a tight hug, swinging from side to side. "Arrgh why are you so _cute_ and so weird at the same time?"

When Kyungsoo turned five, he asked the village elder about possibly enrolling Kyungsoo into the Lunae Academy of Magic, hoping that he would soon understand the boy's fascination with the moon. The simple answer was "it's too expensive"; the entrance fee was more than Yixing and Amber's biannual wages combined.  
However, the village elder also suggested the Solis Academy of Magic as an alternative, the cost of which was a quarter of Lunae's whilst also being the next closest Academy. Although Yixing was reluctant to see his son boarding so far away, he was determined to give Kyungsoo the opportunity to explore his potential powers.

While the boy would have to attend school later than his peers, it by no means hindered his intelligence.

At six years old, Kyungsoo could fashion a small chair out of spare wood in Amber's shop; he also attended the ten year old's arithmetic classes, showing proficiency with numbers. By seven, he could recite entire texts to his father with ease, even remembering the date on which the documents were published. Yixing often wondered how much more brilliant Kyungsoo could have been, had he had his family's financial backing; the opportunities would have been endless for him. He usually pushed the thoughts from his mind, knowing that the boy would've ended up just as he had done.

\---

During the particularly freezing winter of Kyungsoo's seventh year, he had asked to help Yixing in picking up some firewood.

"Are you sure about this?" Yixing asked, worried about the boy's health. "That coat is far too thin, a twig could poke a hole in that."

"I'll be fine, father." His son answered tersely, a hint of a smile on his lips. It was obvious to Yixing how painfully shy the boy was, even towards his own father; he wanted him to open a bit more, to let his guard down just for a second, but these things took time.

They ventured out into the nearby forest carrying a large wicker basket between the two of them, whilst Yixing held a torch in his spare hand.

"Stay close, Kyungsoo."  
The boy nodded, edging closer to his father.

The pair set about gathering any dry pieces of wood that they could salvage from underneath the thin layer of snow that blanketed the forest floor.

A sudden strong gust of wind snaked through the trees, blowing the fire out, leaving both of them in the darkness.

"Kyungsoo, come here. Can you do that for me?"

"…Yes." Yixing could hear the boy's voice trembling.

"Kyungsoo?" He had to remain clam, he couldn't scare the child.

"I…I can't move. It's so dark. I c-can't…don't _want_ to move. Father, please, I'm scared. Please help m-me." Kyungsoo sobbed quietly, never raising his voice. Like him, his cries were small and restrained; even though he was frightened, he didn't want to make a fuss.

"Oh Kyungsoo." Yixing reached out into the darkness, pulling his son into a hug. The boy held on tightly to his father, allowing himself to open up just that little bit.

By some struck of luck, the dark clouds in the sky parted, revealing a first quarter moon. At that point, Yixing knew that Kyungsoo had something to do with it, but he simply left his thoughts as that as they walked home, following the light of the moon.

 

\---

 

A few months after Kyungsoo turned eight, Yixing had finally made enough money to pay for Solis Academy's entrance fee.  
Several other children from the village were also enrolling, so the town had pooled in to hire a coach.

Amber had the most tears to shed as they said their goodbyes. Yixing was gifted with a small lecture from his son, who told him to be extra careful now that he wasn't going to be there; the man laughed, giving Kyungsoo a farewell kiss on the forehead and his eyeglasses.

Kyungsoo looked at him quizzically; his father had loved those glasses so dearly, and it wasn't as if his eyesight turned miraculously better - it seemed rather counterintuitive.  
"I've seen you squinting." Yixing passed him the handmade case, etched with the pattern of the moon. "And you look downright terrifying when you do."

Once all the luggage had been loaded and the snotty tears wiped from the children's - and Amber's - faces, the coach set off for Duras, which was only half a day away.

The journey was smooth, with the coachman giving details about their destination every now and then. Kyungsoo had noted that General Kim Junmyeon lived in Duras, who had been somewhat of a hero to him after hearing about his battlefield victories and School of Swordsmanship.

Whilst he daydreamed about meeting his role model, the children had noticed that they were taking a much longer route than usual after several hours into the ride. The coachman waved it off as road diversions due to fallen trees.

Kyungsoo swore that the original route ran through open countryside with barely any roadside trees.

The coach stopped at a clearing, and the coachman announced "Toilet break!"

As each child stepped off one by one, Kyungsoo couldn't help but feel uneasy. It wasn't just because of the dense tree cover that made the area virtually pitch black, but because of the shadows that shifted around them.

He caught the eye of the coachman, who held a finger to his lips, as if to say-

 _"Shh_." A calloused hand covered his eyes and a wet cloth enveloped his mouth.

Nothing but darkness followed.

 

\---

 

When Kyungsoo came to, his wrists were bound with rope, the skin under which turned a sore red. The children from the coach were in a similar position to him, in fact, they were still on the same coach.  
He could feel the glasses case tucked in his belt under his dress shirt, which brought some comfort to the otherwise terrified child.

The boy squinted his eyes, trying to read the sign just outside the small window.

His mouth instantly dried.

It read, "Slavers' Market."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lesson on "Ruining Childhoods"


	4. The Priest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Small information dumps and a puppy in pain

The smell of incense lingered in the air as thin wisps of smoke rose from the golden burners adorned with images of the Sun Dragon. Streams of vibrantly coloured light entering through the stained glass windows decorated the inside of the church, forming a misshaped picture of the Sun Dragon across the pews.

At the altar, Father Minseok dutifully wiped the marble surface clean, muttering about the mess of the wax candles ruining sacred ground.

"I told Baekhyun to fetch candle holders with better casing, and _where_ is he?" The priest complained to no one in particular, secretly hoping that the Sun Dragon would answer his prayers and deliver some divine punishment unto that boy already. "Good for nothing little-"

The doors of the church swung open, revealing the boy in question with an unfamiliar friend at his side. "Minseok I bought the candle holders you asked for!"

"Wow so this is what the inside of the church looks like. So _clean_." The taller of the two with a surprisingly deep voice remarked. Much too loudly for Minseok's liking.

"Baekhyun, I asked for those two hours ago. You can't just slack off in the middle of a job!" The priest threw his cloth down in anger. "And it's _Father_ Minseok, how many times have I told you to show some respect."

"Sorry Father Minseok, I got sidetracked by Chanyeol." He pointed his thumb behind him. "He was sitting in the field, completely out of it." Baekhyun began swapping the candle holders for the new ones as he spoke. "I've never seen him so dazed."

The boy in question was standing by a church pew, oblivious to the conversation at hand, choosing instead to read through a hymn book like it was an epic.

"Look Baekhyun, I don't care about what you and your friend do in your spare time but-"

"With all due respect Father," Baekhyun interrupted rather snidely. "It's not just some 'teenager trouble'; I've been worried about him lately, I think something's wrong with his magic or whatever, I don't even know."

Minseok mulled over this for a second. "Continue."

"Hmph, how generous of you." The boy scoffed, picking up the green cloth abandoned on the floor. "He's been like this since he was little, but it was never that bad. His dad always says that it’s magic pulling him into a trance sometimes. That's completely normal right? I've been like that before."

The priest replied with a nod.

"But for some reason, whenever it gets hot, like really hot, he'd be stuck like that for hours, just staring into the distance and then-"

"Like now?" Minseok pointed to Chanyeol, who was staring at the stained glass, as if he was enraptured by its beauty. However, the priest knew better; the design was hardly anything worth paying attention to.

"Oh fuck." Baekhyun ran up to his friend and punched him in the face, hard and without hesitation.

"Okay Baekhyun, that's the second time today. What the hell is wrong with you?!" Chanyeol snapped out of it, now angrier and twice as injured, ready to wring the boy's neck.

"You've been doing that dead-eyed stare again! _I'm_ fine. Something's wrong with _you_ not me."

At that moment, the priest chose to cut in. "Baekhyun, go clean the courtyard, I'll talk to your friend."

The smaller of the two gave him an indignant look, ready to run his mouth off. " _Go_."

With clenched fists, he marched out of the church, grabbing the broom on the way.

"Chanyeol, you're seventeen right? Same age as Baekhyun?"

"Yep, but I'd say my mental age is significantly older than his."

"That's not really something to brag about, boy, _anyone_ could surpass Baekhyun's mental age."

Chanyeol shrugged, trying to suppress a laugh. "So I'm guessing that you're here to talk about my magic trances."

Minseok hummed in response. "It's not just a trance, Chanyeol, it seems to be consuming your time. Trances don't last for hours, they barely last for more than a few minutes. This is something that I'll have to read up on, so come back in a week and try not to zone out anywhere near that hyper little ass again."

"That hyper little ass is my best friend, we pretty much spend all of our time together. It's not something I can really help."

"I'm so sorry for you." Minseok said with genuine pity.

As Chanyeol said his goodbyes, the light happened to pass by his eyes. Minseok saw, clearer than daylight, the intense shade of yellow that seemed to twinkle mischievously.

At least _one_ of his prayers had been answered - something that would make his path to priesthood worth it.

 

\---

 

Solis Academy of Magic - renowned for its ties to the Sun Dragon and its innovative work placement programme for prospective mages - housed five hundred students, roughly four hundred of which were boarding. Like with all Academies of Magic, the curriculum was tailored to suit the teachings of its namesake Solis, the principle of the sun, which meant placing utmost priority on the nurturing and appreciation of life. In combat, students were taught to control the damage of their powers - a particularly crucial lesson to those wielding fire, but still favoured attack over defence.

Wherever possible, the Academy tried to reflect the nature of the Sun Dragon, even down to the uniform.

As a result, the uniform was a _hideous_ shade of orange and yellow.

"We look like baby ducks, I swear." Baekhyun moaned, wiping the sweat on his forehead as the pair walked down their usual path to school. "Chanyeol could you just share your immunity to heat for one second? I am literally melting."

"Oh of course Baekhyun, after I sprout some wings and _fly_ to school." Chanyeol tutted. "I would if I could, Baek, but I can't."

The smaller of two stopped in his tracks, a look of horror etched on his face.

"The gnats." Baekhyun pointed at a swarm of tiny black insects a few metres in front of them. "They've found me again."

"I really really _really_ hate this uniform." Chanyeol groaned, bracing for the onslaught of miniature winged devils.

By the time they arrived at school, the vibrant yellow of their jackets gained a dark spotty pattern, but luckily, so did everyone else's.

 

\---

 

On the final lesson of the Friday before the summer holidays, Chanyeol had resorted to tuning out entirely as he much rather preferred to watch the curtains sway against the breeze entering the open windows.

The students' voices droned as they talked about current affairs, all the sounds melding into one, almost lulling the boy into a nap.

"Hey do you remember that incident several years ago? When that coach of children was taken to the Slavers' Market?"

"Yeah! Wasn't Jessica's little sister one of them?"

"I heard that they were actually on their way here, to enrol at Solis."

"Imagine that, they could've been our classmates."

That snippet of a conversation was the only thing Chanyeol picked up in amongst the inane chatter. He felt a pang in his chest, sympathy for those poor children; the boy wondered if he could've been friends with one of them, maybe have even formed a permanent trio.

What if they had grown up together, fallen in love?

What if they married, ha-

"Oi." Baekhyun clapped his hands by the tip of Chanyeol's nose. "Lesson's ended, you need to see Father Minseok." He scoffed at the name.

After packing up their bags and stacking their chairs on their desks, the pair made their way to the monastery, which was conveniently attached to the school.

Solis' work placement programme usually consisted of sending students to assist the monks and healers at the monastery, or the medics stationed at the barracks thirty minutes away from the school. Seldom did students shadow priests, as it was usually reserved for those with the potential to become the Court Mage. Baekhyun, by some twist of fate, was an exceptionally capable wielder of light, even surpassing Chanyeol's equivalent skills in fire magic; in every magic aptitude exam, he not only passed but achieved the highest marks. Therefore, he earned the right to assist Father Minseok with his duties.

"Hurry up or he might _freeze_ the both of us." Baekhyun was dragging his friend by the sleeve, and spoke as if from experience.

"For someone who's a priest of the Sun Dragon, you would think he'd use fire magic." Chanyeol tried to remove his friend's iron grip on his sleeve, but ended up almost tripping instead.

"Chanyeol, have you even been paying attention in lessons?" Baekhyun held on even tighter to prevent any more accidents, despite the taller boy's protests. "The priest of the Sun Dragon, or even the Moon Dragon, has to be able to wield the Dragon's weakness. They have to balance each other to prevent an influx of energy that could damage the flow of magic. Too much of anything can kill people."

"Yeah, I should really pay attention." Chanyeol huffed, giving up on his now crumpled sleeve.

"Oh but not too much, I don't want you beating me in the magic aptitude exam."

 

\---

 

Kim Minseok liked peace and quiet, despite what his childlike appearance might say about him.

He chose to apply for the priest of the Sun Dragon after he finished his education at Solis for more than just because he was a devout worshipper. The man knew that churches were the last place where a ruckus would be raised, and he revelled in his solitude.

Then along came Byun Baekhyun with his loud mouth, loud personality, loud _everything_.

When he offered to take on an assistant, he did so thinking that a potential Court Mage would be decent, respectful and above all, _quiet_.

The priest waited in his office, taking care to wipe off any specks of dust left on the spine of the books he picked up.

Beside him, a freshly brewed cup of tea formed rising swirls of steam. The man absentmindedly watched the dust particles float in the air, illuminated by narrow beams of light, wondering how on earth he could get rid of them.

A knock sounded on his door, before abruptly swinging open to reveal his favourite person. "I knocked this time, you can't complain."

Minseok massaged his temples, preparing himself for another day with Baekhyun.

Chanyeol, who was standing behind the boy, greeted the man with a wide toothy grin and an energetic wave of his hand.

"Both of you, sit down." The priest gestured at the two chairs in front of his desk. "This is important, so I don't want any interruptions." He glared at Baekhyun. "I repeat, _no_ interruptions or else I'm kicking the both of you out, understood?"

The two nodded eagerly.

"First of all, I'm sure you're already familiar with the Sun Dragon and the Moon Dragon, but do you know about those who possess the Dragon's Breath? I'm aiming this question at you Chanyeol."

The boy pondered about it for a second. "They're called Channels aren't they? Yeah, they're the ones given life by the spirit of the Dragons."

"And since I asked you that question, can you put two and two together?"

Chanyeol and Baekhyun looked at each other in disbelief, a massive grin creeping onto both of their faces. "Wait so you think _I'm_ a Channel?"

"Not think, _know_. I'm one hundred percent certain that you are indeed a Channel. The Sun Dragon's Channel." Minseok couldn't help but smile as he watched the two boys practically dance in their seats.

Chanyeol stopped his celebrations for a second and turned to the priest. "Father Minseok, how can you be so sure? I think I'm going to need some proof."

"Seeing as your eyes glow that shade of yellow in the sunlight is the first clue, but I understand that you might want to see your powers for yourself." Minseok gathered his books and took a sip of his tea. "However, I'm going to need to see your guardian."

 

\---

 

Junmyeon sat in the living room, reading through reports and other documents. He had sworn lessons at Solis had finished one hour ago, but he knew that Chanyeol was probably enjoying the start of two months of freedom. 

While Junmyeon liked to see his son having fun, he couldn't help but feel anxious. Chanyeol was going to have more episodes, he could tell - they had been progressively getting worse over the years.

It was at this time last year that Chanyeol had his most serious one yet. Junmyeon had to leave particularly early that day, so he couldn't wake Chanyeol up like he usually did.

When he had arrived home that evening, he had opened the door to find Chanyeol sat up in bed, as if he was in the middle of getting up. Frozen in time, Junmyeon described it. After snapping Chanyeol out of it, he merely groaned, complaining about waking up so early for school.

Junmyeon concluded that Chanyeol had stayed like that for _hours_. It frightened him, to see the boy losing moments of his life so easily.

The front door opened, followed by the sounds of the two boys and an unfamiliar man.

"Father!" Chanyeol called out. "Father Minseok needs to talk to you."

Junmyeon rose from his armchair, laying all the papers down beside him. "What's wrong?"

When Junmyeon saw the man, he couldn't help but be surprised that priests that young existed.

Minseok noticed this quiet scrutiny. "I'm not a child, by the way, I'm actually in my late thirties."

"Still younger than me, though." Junmyeon chuckled, offering his hand which Minseok gladly returned.

As everyone settled around the dining table, the priest gave a brief run-down of the situation to the retired General.

"You see, a Channel's powers are decided by the conditions they were born in, so in order to fully understand Chanyeol's capabilities, I'm going to need the details about his birth."

Junmyeon's blood ran cold. Other than telling Chanyeol that he had found him during his final campaign, orphaned as a result of the war, the man had resolved to never tell his son about the atrocities he committed in his time as a General.

The boy looked up at him, eyes filled with curiosity and warmth. He couldn't tell him. It wouldn't be right to.

Minseok, with his keen observation, tried to ease him into it. "Well, Channels are, to simply put it, dead bodies filled with a Dragon's soul. They are usually people brought back to life by the will of a Dragon, so don't be alarmed, Chanyeol."

Chanyeol, who had been far too engrossed by the fact he was even a Channel, looked far from alarmed. "Oh no, this is so freakin' cool. I mean, not that I potentially had a family before…" He paused for a second, letting it sink in. "I had a family before this…and they're dead. I know that they've been dead for a long time, but I never thought that I was actually dead _with_ them." Chanyeol didn't know what to feel, he just felt so empty all of a sudden. It was the first time in his life that he had ever really thought about it, and he felt like such an ass for _not_ thinking about it.

"Let's just go back to this later." Junmyeon muttered, placing a hand on Chanyeol's shoulder while Baekhyun rubbed his friend's back.

"I understand." Minseok opened up a bookmarked page in one of the books he brought with him. "Those weird trances Chanyeol's been experiencing isn't due to his magic, but the Sun Dragon trying to channel His Breath through the boy. Unfortunately, since Chanyeol's powers haven't been awakened yet, He can't make that connection and as a result, His spirit lingers in his body, causing an endless loop of entrancement as His Breath cannot escape. It's particularly bad in the summertime because that's when the Sun Dragon's powers are at its strongest; He needs to release more energy, and therefore, longer periods of entrancement.”

After opening another set of books, the priest continued. "This is where I come in. My job as the priest of the Sun Dragon is to balance His powers, which involves control of His Breath. Since a Channel hasn't appeared in God knows how long, priests have had to direct His energy to the earth through balancing. Luckily, I was trained to awaken a Channel, which is why I need your permission Junmyeon."

"Permission for what?"

"Permission to put your son through a whole lot of pain."

 Seeing as he really didn't have much choice in the matter, Junmyeon simply hummed a "yes.”

"Um, sorry to interrupt, but how do I fit into all of this?" Baekhyun chimed in after making a cup of herbal tea for Chanyeol while the priest was talking.

"As a potential Court Mage, you're going to need to have good ties with the Channel. That's it, and you seemed to have accomplished that already. So go home." Minseok packed up his books, tucking them underneath his arm. "Junmyeon and Chanyeol, I need you to come with me to the monastery."

Baekhyun, refusing to be thrown aside like that, tagged along.

 

\---

 

Chanyeol sat next to his father on a bench while Baekhyun and Minseok picked up supplies for the awakening.

"It's okay to be scared, Chanyeol." Junmyeon reassured him. "Minseok said it's going to be over before you even know it."

"I get that." Chanyeol mumbled, deciding to twiddle with his thumbs. "But…nevermind."

Minseok and Baekhyun returned with several scrolls in their hands. After the circle was set up in the middle of the aisle, Minseok began reading through the scrolls, signifying the start of the ritual.

Baekhyun led Chanyeol into the circle, both of them cold from the anxiety. The drawn patterns immediately lit up as the boy stepped into the circle; the priest's voice was no longer his own, instead replaced by a deep authoritative one that shook the foundations of the church.

"Child of Man. Tell the boy." Minseok faced Junmyeon, the priest’s eyes now glowing a fiery red.

Junmyeon pursed his lips, trying to work up the courage to just _say something_.

"I killed his family,” he eventually managed to utter. "I burnt his family to ashes. He was born from a mutilated corpse that _I_ set alight." He was choking back tears, fists clenched and trembling.

Chanyeol looked at his father and began to open his mouth, only to close it again as excruciating pain ran up his body. He crumpled into a ball on the floor, clutching onto his sides; bloody tears trickled down his face as broken screams escaped his lips. He screamed and screamed until his voice was hoarse and cracking.

Junmyeon stepped forward to help him, only to be held back by Baekhyun, whose gaze was averted in his refusal to look.

All of a sudden, the booming voice ceased and Minseok furrowed his eyebrows.

_"Fuck_ , this isn't right."

The priest quickly unleashed a torrent of ice beams at the circle, which melted away upon touch. " _Shit_."

"Minseok what's wrong? Why is he still in pain? What the hell is going on?" Baekhyun shouted at the man, clearly in distress.

"Everyone needs to get out right now," Minseok ordered. "Chanyeol is immune to heat, he can withstand whatever the fuck's going to happen. Get out _now_."

He dragged the reluctant Junmyeon and Baekhyun outside, leaving behind Chanyeol, whose screams had been reduced to croaks.

Just as they reached the courtyard, the church was engulfed in flames. As if a crack in the sky had formed, streams of fire rained down on the monastery, destroying the buildings upon impact.

The earth was consumed with fire.

Nothing but a sea of yellow and orange lay in front of the men.

In the distance, the cries of anguish were lost in the crackling of the violent flames.

\----

When Chanyeol woke up, his head was pounding and his skin hot to the touch. Men in steel armour, which he recognised as belonging to the Imperial army, surrounded him with spears drawn and aimed at his body. Behind them, he could see nothing but smoke and rubble.

"Don't move unless you want to be impaled." One of the men barked, thrusting his spear only a few inches away from Chanyeol's chest. Breathless and confused, Chanyeol was speechless, resigning to following the man's orders.

"O-okay, I won't. Just…so tired." Speaking hurt his throat, sleep was all he wanted.

"Kim Chanyeol, by the orders of His Majesty, the Emperor of the Imperial Kingdom, you are hereby under arrest for the misuse of magic…"

Chanyeol drew a sharp breath.

"…and manslaughter."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry Chanyeol TT^TT
> 
> Okay, I'm almost getting to the Chansoo part of this Chansoo fic


	5. The Heir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Suicide, mentions of rape, violence, abuse, death.

 

On Kyungsoo's seventeenth birthday, he spent his day sitting under the shade of a large pear tree, reading a book gifted to him by the servants of the house.

 

It was "The Dragons' Sacrifice" by the First Court Mage, a theoretical account of the fusion of the two Dragons, or at least that was what the blurb said.

 

The boy rarely liked to daydream, it often led to him thinking about his escape. To thinking about being free of the family that bought him nine years ago.

 

The same paranoid family that shackled their slaves to trees whenever they were given a break, as a "gift for their hard work", and had their servants watch over them.

 

The same paranoid family that warped the words of novels with magic, so that their slaves didn't get any good ideas.

 

The same paranoid family that swapped out their servants every few months, because they "knew too much" or that their slaves had grown attached to them.

 

Kyungsoo was someone else's property. The book in his hand wasn't a gift, just another symbol of authority. That rotten family had control over him, down to the clothes he wore, the words he read and the air he breathed - and there was nothing he could do about it.

 

Slavery was legal in the Imperial kingdom, but the ownership or sale of citizens of the Imperial kingdom was illegal, punishable by death. But that didn't stop people, after all, how would you go about identifying a slave's ethnicity if you never even see them?

 

Hence, the Kim family kept themselves to themselves. Though they were prominent merchants, Kyungsoo rarely saw guests in their mansion, and the servants wouldn't dare say a word - the family knew everything about their employees, including the locations of any relatives, distant and close.

 

Child servitude was also illegal under Imperial law, but with Kyungsoo and the other two slaves nearing adulthood, it began to matter less and less.

 

During a morning call by the young master, he came across the head of the household, Mr. Kim, who was having a chat with his guest - a familiar man who he knew had also owned Imperial slaves. Mr. Kim ordered him to pour them some tea, a request which Kyungsoo obediently followed.

 

"You see, Mr. Park, slaves don't hold a candle to servants." Mr. Kim sipped his tea in an obnoxiously loud manner. "Slaves, after owning them for so long, have _loyalty_. Those other bastards my wife keeps on hiring could stab me in the back any minute now!" The rather stout man laughed nervously, wiping beads of sweat on his forehead with his handkerchief.

 

 _What loyalty, you disgusting bastard._ Kyungsoo sneered inside his head. _I'd rip your throat out if I could_.

 

"Why I do suppose you're right, Mr. Kim." The other man, thin and angular, inspected Kyungsoo with leering eyes.

 

"If you would excuse me, sir, your son called me." Kyungsoo bowed, and tried his best not to run out of that room. He could feel their hungry eyes on him, a heavy feeling in his stomach forming. They were _sick_.

 

As he walked further away, he heard their conversation switch topics. "Yes, the weapons imported from the Union are just right here-"

 

 _Kill yourselves, you pieces of shit._         

 

\---

 

 

 

The only reason Kyungsoo hadn't completely lost the will to live was because of Jongin, the young master. The boy was two years younger than him and dealing with a crush on one of the slaves - Chrystal, who also happened to be a child from Tenilur.

 

"When I take over my father's business, I'm going to marry her." Jongin told Kyungsoo with confidence. During their chats, Jongin would bring over his puppies for petting purposes.

 

"Oh, and how are you going to propose?" Kyungsoo smiled teasingly. It was a genuine emotion, unlike the façade he put in front of the boy's parents.

 

"I'm going to free her. I'll let her see her family again. _Then_ I'll propose."

Kyungsoo was taken aback. He didn't think those words would come from anyone in that wretched household.

"And you too, y'know, minus the proposing part."

 

"Thanks Jongin." The older boy ruffled the younger one's hair, which had the same softness as the puppies' fur. "That made my day."

 

Kyungsoo had become somewhat of an older brother to Jongin, occasionally showing him his magic skills.

The magic wielder had the ability to control gravity, being able to move objects while also making them heavier or lighter.

His power made him a valuable asset to the merchant family: loading and unloading cargo could be done in a fifth of the original time; lumberjacks were no longer needed when he could just uproot trees; and harvesting crops was just a matter of raising his hands.

 

Jongin, on the other hand, just liked being lifted up in the air.

 

Despite the boy's promise, Kyungsoo sometimes let himself think about escaping, even though he knew it was futile.

During the nights when the full moon shone, Kyungsoo could see the perimeter of the Kim family's land. Barbed wire was wound across the iron fence, the moonlight reflecting the sharp metal's harsh sheen.

 

When he was ten years old and yet to be disillusioned, Kyungsoo ran up to that fence in the night, ready to propel himself across using gravity manipulation. As he reached a point just above the fence, the barbed wire unraveled itself and latched on to the boy's body; the spikes pierced his skin as the wire constricted him, squeezing tighter and tighter until he couldn't breathe anymore.

When he woke up on his bed, most likely after being found by a servant, Mr. Kim was fuming and lashed the boy's back with a whip twenty times.

Kyungsoo was sore to the bone, the pain was blinding and he expected to bleed to death. He wanted to cry, but his eyes stung too much and the tears just wouldn't come out.

Like the angel he was, eight-year-old Jongin snuck into the boy's room with the help of Chrystal, cleaned Kyungsoo's wounds and applied a salve made by one of the servants. It was probably at this point that the younger boy became attached, and Kyungsoo didn't mind one bit.

 

\---

Mr. Kim had been generous enough to give the slaves magic lessons from a close friend. Of course, the man wanted to optimise the children's talents for _his_ needs, not for the sake of theirs.

Unfortunately, this close friend had scammed the man, running away with his money.

Whatever trust issues he had beforehand were exacerbated to the extent where _he_ would lock his son's door at night and even his wife, who was known to be just as paranoid as him, found it outrageous.

 

While Kyungsoo was wiping the dining table one evening, he caught a glimpse of the couple's argument in the living room.

"He is our son! Why on earth are you treating our son like one of those slaves?" Mrs. Kim screamed at her husband, then slapped him across the face.

 

"You crazy bitch, who do hell do you think you are?" He grabbed her by the hair, pulling her head towards him. "I know you've been sleeping around with the help, so don't go off on me about morals."

 

"Morals, huh? I've seen the way you look at those slaves, especially _that boy_. If anyone's crazy here, it's you." She bit back through gritted teeth, managing to pull away from his grip.

 

 _That boy._         

Kyungsoo felt his throat closing up. He grabbed the cleaning equipment and ran back to his room.

He felt a real danger, much more worse than when he tried to escape.

 

 

The next morning, Chrystal's screams woke up the servants' quarters, causing the maids to immediately run over to investigate.

 

The third slave had hanged herself.

She had taken her life in the room she shared with Chrystal.

 

While consoling Chrystal, she quietly passed him a note. "Read it, and don't tell anyone else, okay? Not even Jongin."

 

_Chrystal I'm sorry for leaving you behind. I just couldn't take it anymore._

_Mr. Kim…he's been doing things to me for a long time now. I can't bear to write the details._

_I managed to find the password to his safe. I think it has the weapons that Kyungsoo told us about._

_Please, please, use it to escape if you can._

_Without me there, he might do something to you._

_Good luck._

_Thank you for everything._

 

Just as he managed to finish reading the note, he heard the morning bell, signifying breakfast preparations. Even a girl who committed suicide couldn't stop the household from running like a well-oiled machine.

 

As per usual, the servants and slaves lined up alongside the dining table. Mrs. Kim ordered them to do so in case an attempt was ever made on their lives, that way the culprit could easily be caught.

The family ate in silence. Along with last night's argument and the girl's suicide, Jongin had become closed off from his parents entirely as he began to understand the full extent of their paranoia.

 

"Where's the note?" Chrystal whispered into Kyungsoo's ear.

 

"It's…" Kyungsoo discretely checked his pockets. "Shit it's not here. Probably in my room, don't worry."

 

"It better be." The girl muttered, turning to face forward again.

 

\---

 

Straight after breakfast, as Kyungsoo began weeding the garden, or rather manipulating the weeds' gravity, Jongin came to him.

 

"Oh that's where you were." Jongin beamed, holding one of his puppies in his hand. "I checked in your room and you weren't there."

 

"You know we're not allowed in our rooms this early, Jongin."

 

"Ah, but I heard about the suicide and I thought…well, that you'd be allowed to mourn."

 

Kyungsoo looked up at him. "Do you honestly think your father would let us?" There was an accusatory tone to his voice that Kyungsoo felt was a bit too harsh. The boy did nothing wrong.

 

"…Sorry, Kyungsoo." Jongin mumbled, deciding to sit on the dirt path beside Kyungsoo.

 

"You didn't know, and hardly any of this is your fault. There is absolutely nothing you have to apologise for." Kyungsoo smiled apologetically, rubbing the boy's shoulder.

 

That evening, Kyungsoo found the note under his bed, not even remembering how it fell there. As he prepared himself for sleep, the bell rang.

It was from Mr. Kim's study.

His palms begin to sweat.

Chrystal was on night duty, she was too far away. He couldn't possibly drag Jongin into this.

That pit in his stomach had grown ever since he poured tea for Mr. Kim and his guest.

 

Kyungsoo walked slowly to the study. The safe wasn't there, it was in the bedroom.

He was panicking, what the hell could he do?

 

The boy knocked on the door.

"Come in." Mr. Kim called.

After he had opened it slightly, a thick hand pulled him in, shutting the door behind him.

 

In a matter of seconds, Kyungsoo had been pinned to the oak door, the giant tumultuous man breathing heavily over him. Seeing Mr. Kim's face up close made him certain that Jongin was most definitely _not_ his son; nothing in that man could have made such a lovely boy.

 

"L-let go!" Kyungsoo struggled, punching and pushing against the man's chest. He couldn't control his powers well enough when panic-stricken.

 

"It really is better when they put up a fight." Mr. Kim licked his lips, a lecherous look on his face.

 

Just as the bigger man leaned in, another knock sounded on the door.

Mr. Kim straightened his back upwards, as it was instinct.

 

 

_BANG._

_BANG._

 

 

Moments later, he was on the floor, blood gushing out of two holes in his head. Chunks of flesh had spattered on to Kyungsoo's face, but he was far too shocked about the man's death to care about the mess.

 

"Kyungsoo, you need to run away _now_." Jongin pushed open the door, revealing a dazed Kyungsoo drenched in his father's blood. The younger boy gulped, his hand trembling around a pistol. "Here's a satchel with supplies and a map to get of the estate. You really need to hurry."

 

Tears were in the boy's eyes as he handed Kyungsoo everything he needed.

Kyungsoo pried the unfamiliar weapon from his hands, "Let the blame fall on me."

 

Before Jongin could protest, Kyungsoo ran out of the mansion through the kitchen and into the gardens.

He followed Jongin's hand drawn map, which highlighted a secret tunnel in the northeast border.

 

A little message was written on the bottom:

_I'll miss you Kyungsoo :(_

_Stay safe!_

 

Though it warmed his heart, he couldn't help but feel like he ruined Jon gin's life. Killing a person - _his father_ , the man that raised him - was going to be something that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

 

But Kyungsoo wanted to believe that it was going to be all okay.

 

That Jongin would marry Chrystal, have children, grow old together.

 

It was going to be okay. It had to be.

 

 

\---

 

He found Tenilur after just over two weeks of travelling around, searching and asking strangers at the towns he visited.

 

Two weeks into his journey, he came across Duras, his original destination, realising that he'd be home in a little over two days. Memories of his father came back to him; he really wanted to see him again, to show him that he was alive and well.

 

Unfortunately, the town was in shambles.

While at the inn, he heard rumours of a fire shower raining down on the nearby monastery, resulting in the death of several people. This was over a week ago, but the flames were still roaring.

People called it divine punishment, but what kind of god would attack a church worshipping them?

To top it off, three people had gone missing and one arrest made. Kyungsoo couldn't hide his disappointment when he heard that one of those missing people was General Kim Junmyeon; even after all those years, he still wanted to meet him.

 

After a night's rest and half a day on a cart, which he drove himself due to poor experiences with transport, he arrived at Tenilur, practically giddy from the excitement.

He wondered how he would re-introduce himself to his father. Maybe he should go see Amber first, then plan a surprise. So many thoughts ran through his head; he couldn't help but smile like a maniac.

 

When he opened the door to Amber's woodworking shop, he saw that nothing had changed. At the counter was the same bright-eyed woman who he only ever had fond memories of.

 

"…Kyungsoo?" Her face lit up. "Is that really you?"

 

No words would come out, so the boy just nodded. Amber ran up to him, hugging him so tightly that he could see stars; she soon became a mess of snotty tears and incomprehensible blubbering.

As soon as she calmed down and wiped away the tears, her expression soon turned grave. "I can tell that you haven't visited your father yet. Come with me."

 

They walked to Kyungsoo's old home, only silence between the two of them.

His father's bedroom door was ajar; inside was his father, lying still on the bed that seemed so much smaller now that he saw it again.

 

"He spoke his last words this morning. The village elder said it was pneumonia…Oh, I'm so so sorry Kyungsoo." Amber hugged the boy, who stood as still and cold as ice. "Yixing, I mean your father really wanted to see you. He never once believed that you were dead."

 

The pair sat down in the wicker chairs beside the bed. Kyungsoo made sure to etch the memory of his father's face into his mind; it had been so long, he had almost forgotten. He never wanted to forget the man who loved him so dearly.

 

Amber told him stories of how his father broke his leg once trying to rescue a bird with a broken wing up on a tree branch, and how he made spaghetti - Kyungsoo's favourite food - on _everyone's_ birthday, and how he'd stare up at the full moon at night, knowing Kyungsoo would be entranced by it.

 

As Amber continued to tell her stories, a deep commanding voice ringed in Kyungsoo's head.

 

_Let me in_

_Just will it be_

_And I shall grant your desires_

_Let me in, boy_

 

"Amber." Kyungsoo said in a monotonous tone, his soul in a state of disarray. "Run."

 

_Don't think you can break the balance_

 

A silvery white fog engulfed Amber before she could react. It penetrated her mind, reaching out for her soul.

Once all of her essence had been absorbed, it transferred itself to Yixing.

The fog disappeared.

Yixing drew a breath.

 

_A life for a life, boy_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like a horrible person sometimes.  
> Why do they always get hurt???


	6. Under One Sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of death

Drops of water fell down from the ceiling on to the floor of Chanyeol's circular cell. The constant _plip plop_ was beginning to drive him mad.

 

The worst part was no matter how hard he searched for the source, he couldn't find it, until he realised that it was a ploy used by the guards to make the prisoners go insane.

At some point, he could see the tall reinforced stone walls curving inwards, like trees bent by strong winds, but it was just his eyes playing tricks on him. The darkness was unbearable and the air stuffy with only a thin stream of light entering through a caged window metres above his head.

 

Maybe it was him being paranoid, but he always felt like the guards were mocking him behind their steel masks whenever they passed his cell.

Chanyeol wanted to see his father, Baekhyun, Father Minseok, virtually anybody else but those guards. Not being able to see their faces, not being able to read their expressions or hear those voices clearly - it tormented him; Chanyeol needed to feel connected with _someone_.

 

He had stopped counting the days since his arrest, knowing that it would only upset him even more. The boy often overheard the guards talking about his execution, not knowing whether to trust them or not after their little water drop trick, but seeing as important looking men often discussed it, he couldn't help but feel worried.

 

Chanyeol knew that he was in the Imperial Mage Dungeon, where wielders of magic were imprisoned; a barrier had been cast over the entirety of the dungeon, the purpose of which was to weaken the prisoners' magic and prevent any escapes. From what Chanyeol could remember from his lessons at Solis, that barrier required an incredible amount of magic to maintain, which had to flow constantly or else cracks would form. Father Minseok used to work as one of the mages that maintained the barrier for a short time before returning to priesthood, as a famine had caused a shortage of capable magic wielders, from what Chanyeol could recall.

 

One morning, the boy woke up feeling an immense heat in his body, just as he had done at the monastery. Without warning, flames started shooting out of his lips with every breath he took; the embers skittered over the cold stone floor, eventually losing its glow.

When the guard on duty caught sight of this, he immediately called for backup. After an hour with the guards in his cell, shields and swords aimed at him, a mage emerged with an enchanted mask in her hands. With little care, she strapped the metal contraption over his face, locking the chains behind his head.

The guards filed out one by one, leaving Chanyeol by himself again, confused and degraded.

 

Day in, day out, he sat with his head craned towards the ceiling, hoping that it would just collapse in on itself and end it all.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a thin condescending voice told him over and over again that he killed his father, Baekhyun and Father Minseok. That all those innocent people were killed because he couldn't control his powers, despite all of Solis' teachings. He was a murderer, no different from his father during his days as a General.

The difference was that the General had shown compassion after his wrongdoings, had shown guilt for the sins he committed.

 

Chanyeol didn't even feel sad, just lonely. He craved attention and affection, even though he didn't want to return it.

 

Something was wrong with him.

 

He wasn't always like this.

 

When did he change?

 

\---

 

 

_A life for a life, boy_         

 

Yixing met Kyungsoo's eyes, the latter of which was in a state of shock. Amber lay on the floor, dead.

The older man's eyes widened as he saw his most trusted friend and confidant lifeless on the floor; he wanted to say ask so many questions, but didn't know where to start.

"Kyungsoo?" He eventually asked, his voice low, but welcoming.

 

The boy wanted to answer yes, to embrace his father, to _finally_ go back to a normal life, but everything was just so wrong.

He stay still, not wanting to move from his spot and trying to regain steady breathing.

"It's going to be fine, Kyungsoo, I-" Yixing tried to console his son; he was still working to move his limbs, which were getting used to the flow of blood. "I missed you."

 

For the second time that month, a person lost a loved one because of him, and for the second time that month, he was going to run away.

 

"Kyungsoo!" His bedridden father called after him, desperation painfully clear in his voice. " _Kyungsoo_!"

The boy clutched to the eyeglasses case he had found in the satchel earlier, a gift he confided in Jongin about. It was his intention to give it back to his father, knowing that the man's eyesight would have progressively gotten worse.

 

By the time Yixing managed to limp to the entrance of the house, there was no sight of Kyungsoo.

Despite the nine years spent searching for his son, this moment was perhaps the loneliest he had ever felt.

 

 

Minutes later, Kyungsoo was on his horse, abandoning the cart all together. He had often ridden with Jongin on secret hunting trips, usually when his father had gone away on business, as a result, horse-riding was by no means a difficult task for him.

He needed to be as far away from his father as possible, leading to a decision to return to Duras in order to do something about his powers. Kyungsoo remembered that there was a vacancy at the inn he stayed in; he thought that if he could work there for a few months combined with the money Jongin left him, he would eventually be able to enrol into Solis.

Kyungsoo made his mind up: no one else was going to get hurt because of him.

 

After several hours on the road, Kyungsoo noticed something peculiar. All the signs were pointing towards Eris, the Imperial capital, even though he was sure that they said Duras.

Not wanting to backtrack as nightfall was soon approaching, he continued his journey, deciding instead to stay the night at Eris and return to Duras in the morning.

 

The Imperial capital was a remarkable sight; spires atop the far-reaching walls shone a beautiful viridian colour, the flags which were attached to it bore the emblem of the Empire and waved proudly in the wind. The cobblestone bridge leading to the gates was wide and bustling with people, even at sunset; merchants were beginning to pack away their stalls, residents returned to their homes with the day's shopping in their hands, and the guards prepared for a night out at the pub.

Kyungsoo had never been around so many people, not even at the Slavers' Market.

No one batted an eye at the dishevelled boy riding in on his exhausted horse, and Kyungsoo liked it that way. He was never one to revel in people's attention, much preferring to stay away from their gaze.

 

Distracted by the completely new sights, the boy accidentally bumped into a passerby, whose purse had spilled all over the floor. Kyungsoo quickly unmounted the horse to help the poor man.

 

"My apologies, sir, I wasn't paying attention." Kyungsoo bowed to the man out of habit. The man was at a loss for words, gesturing the boy to raise his head.

 

"I don't think I've ever met such a polite stranger!" He chortled, patting the boy on his back. "My back's in a bad state, so could you help me pick these up?"

 

"Of course." Kyungsoo replied briefly, immediately getting on his knees to collect the loose coins.

Once the coins were in the purse, the stranger waved a goodbye and went about his business.

After Kyungsoo made sure the man was out of sight, he counted the coins he didn't return. Fifteen, enough to pay for bed and breakfast.

 

Kyungsoo found lying came naturally to him, but it was usually followed by an immeasurable sense of guilt, most likely taken after his father's angelic nature, so he never like doing it. Even when it came to Mr. Kim, lying still made him feel horrible.

 

But for some reason, he felt nothing but a sense of accomplishment. Like he should be proud for cheating that reasonable stranger.

No guilt. No regret. Nothing.

A thief normally would have the decency to conceal their joy, but there was a sickeningly sly grin on Kyungsoo's face.

 

Something was wrong with him.

 

He wasn't always like this.

 

When did he change?

 

\---

 

 

 

 

That night, as Kyungsoo slept in an inn bed, a vision came to him.

Though it was hazy, he could make out a boy, tall with oddly large ears, curled into a ball on a cell floor.

His eyes were red and puffy from what seemed like hours of crying.

A metal mask covered his mouth; there seemed to be a purplish pattern engraved on it, something akin to a magic seal.

Guards came in, dragging him by his arms to an unknown place.

The image shifted, revealing a guillotine with the boy's head secured in place underneath.

That very head rolled along the floor just moments later.

 

Kyungsoo sat up abruptly, the blood spatter still fresh in his mind. He hunched over, clutching his stomach as he suddenly remembered Mr. Kim's brains splattered all over his face and clothes, and Amber's soulless eyes staring back at him in fear.

The boy ran to the bathroom, throwing up his half-digested dinner into the toilet.

"What _was_ that?" Kyungsoo groaned over the toilet bowl.

 

After cleaning his mouth, he went back to bed, deciding that it was far too late to worry about some strange nightmare.

For the rest of the night, he slept without incident.

 

The next morning, Kyungsoo went to collect his horse from the stables, only to find it missing. The stable boy shook his head dismissively, stating that no horse by that description had been left there.

To make matters weirder, the deposit the boy put down was back in his purse, untouched.

Accepting the fact that he would have to take a coach, Kyungsoo went to the north gate to catch the earliest coach to Duras, but by some twist of fate, the road from Eris to Duras had been closed off due to a landslide.

In disbelief, the boy reluctantly stayed _another_ day in Eris; at this point, he wondered if someone, or something, was forcing him to stay in the city. Compelling him to investigate.

People don't just imagine riding on a horse, or the words on a road sign unless some other mysterious force was involved.

 

Inside the walls of Eris ran the blood of the Imperial kingdom; the way people worked, moved, lived and breathed kept the heart of the Empire beating. Day after day, money flowed in and out like the waters of a river network, a constant stream that never stagnated, the result of which being a considerably higher standard of living compared to the provinces of the kingdom. Rich men and women, adorned with jewel-encrusted rings and luxurious coats, were hardly a rare sight; businesses, the likes of which Kyungsoo had never seen before, were a common occurrence - from restaurants serving only foreign delicacies to pet clothing stores, the city had it all.

But not every part of Eris was brimming with gold, as the boy soon came to find.

The slums were tucked away in and around the sewer entrances inside the city, one of which Kyungsoo had come across as he explored the city.

A young boy with matted blond hair and rags for clothes sat on the floor smeared with faeces; his bones jutted from his limbs, barely covered by any fat and when he moved, Kyungsoo could make out each and every one of his veins beneath the translucent skin.

He only looked at Kyungsoo with dark eyes; the bridge of his nose and downwards was covered with a cloth mask, concealing whatever he wanted hidden. The older boy couldn't tell what he was thinking, or if he even wanted Kyungsoo there.

 

"Lost?" The impoverished child asked, his voice muffled. "Do you need me to recommend any sites of interest? Or here to just gawk? Which will it be, I haven't got all day, you know" His tone was condescending, and Kyungsoo almost regretted feeling sorry for the boy.

 

"Nevermind." He snapped, turning his back.

 

"Wait." This time the child's voice was flat, not giving way to any particular emotion. "You're new here aren't you? No one who lives in Eris would give a damn about this place."

 

Kyungsoo sighed, deciding to give his attention to the boy, who was most likely in need of it. "Yes. What about it?"

 

"There's an execution tomorrow. I think you might be interested." Something in the boy's eyes sparkled, a look that made Kyungsoo uneasy.

 

Kyungsoo moved closer to the child, "Wait, how di-"

 

The boy's face had changed. In his place was a much younger little girl, who looked at him with large, frightened eyes.

Left bewildered and in dire need of answers, Kyungsoo had come to accept that nothing was normal anymore and that he'd only ever have questions. He tossed the little girl several gold coins, who held on to them with a wide, joyful smile on her tiny face. "Thank you, mister!"

 

The girl, however, didn't notice how the kind gentleman held on to his coin pouch tighter, or how a frown had formed on his lips as he walked away. She didn't see how he eyed the gold in her hands with regret. She didn't see the unwanted change in the boy, a black bitter mist slowly consuming him.

 

\---

 

Another vision came to him that night.

The same boy staring at him with gentle eyes, a warm orange light surrounding him.

He was like the sun.

There was a distance between them, one that the boy began to close.

Closer and closer, almost touching but never quite.

Just as their fingertips brushed against each other-

Kyungsoo woke up.

 

Blood was rushing to his head, his cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. The boy tried to steady his breathing, but he was far too out of it.

The room was oddly hot, and not just because it was in the middle of summer; the temperatures were high, almost like an oven.

Unable to withstand the heat anymore, Kyungsoo left the inn to get some fresh air, ignoring that tingling feeling in his body.

 

The boy from the sewers was right, an execution _was_ being held, one at the Merchant's Square. Kyungsoo followed the crowd, who were chattering amongst themselves about the prisoner.

"I heard he burnt down an entire monastery, at least twenty people died!"

 

"I thought it was fifty?"

 

"I'm pretty sure that maniac killed one hundred - my cousin in Duras said something about it."

 

_Eight people_. The innkeeper at Duras had told him, who was still unsure of the cause at the time. At least now he knew it wasn't some divine punishment.

 

"Hey, isn't he General Kim Junmyeon's son?"

 

"Huh, what else do you expect from that monster?"

 

"Shut up, do you want to get hanged for treason? The Imperial family are practically _licking_ his boots."

 

Kyungsoo's stomach turned. Why was he going to watch someone's execution? It's not like he was particularly thrilled about seeing dead people.

Nonetheless, he continued walking until he caught sight of the guillotine.

 

Just like in his vision, the big-eared boy with gentle eyes was under the blade.

Kyungsoo couldn't help but wonder how someone like  _that_ could ever commit arson and kill eight people.

As if his body was moving on its own, Kyungsoo pushed himself towards the front, until his face was only a metre or so away from the other's.

 

"You…" His croaked, his throat dried up from crying. "You came."

The stranger smiled at him. A kind, innocent smile.

Kyungsoo felt like he knew the boy for years; it felt like a reunion with an old friend.

A _twisted_ reunion at that.

 

"Say your last words, boy." The executioner ordered.

 

_Save me_ , he mouthed to Kyungsoo.

 

The rope was cut and the blade began its quick descent.

 

_Just will it be_

_And I will grant your desires_

 

Kyungsoo's eyes turned a milky white.

He raised his arms, then clenched his hands into fists in one fluid motion.

 

The blade froze, and Chanyeol's mask broke into a million pieces.

After being constrained for so long, the Sun Dragon's Channel took in a deep breath and _blew_.

 

The crowd was in awe as the boy propelled himself into the air with a pillar of fire trailing from his mouth, the wood that held him now engulfed in flames.

Like the moon bending the waves, Kyungsoo pulled and pushed on the fire beam, creating a whirlwind of searing embers and flames, the tongues of which licked the air with crackling ferocity.

 

Chanyeol blew again, this time encapsulating Kyungsoo in a ball of manipulated heat waves stemming from the fire whirl. Kyungsoo didn't have any time to protest before he was raised into the air, now face to face with the stranger from his visions.

 

"Hold my hand." Chanyeol shouted above the roaring flames, his arm outstretched in Kyungsoo's direction. There was a yellow glow in his eyes, unnaturally bright and moving like fluid.

Without any hesitation, the smaller of the two grabbed on.

 

Within seconds, the pair were on a phoenix, forged from the fire of Chanyeol's flame structure, and was now flying over and away from the city.

 

"I'm trusting you to keep this thing flying!" Chanyeol beamed at Kyungsoo, his happiness having returned at a breakneck speed as if his head wasn't just about to be sliced off a minute ago.

 

"What? Why?" Kyungsoo asked, doing his best to maintain the weak gravity on the phoenix.

 

"This is the first time I've ever done this! For all I know, we could plummet to our deaths at any minute now!"

 

"WHAT?!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so /now/ Chansoo begin their adventure


	7. The Innkeeper

 

Beneath Chanyeol's fire phoenix, the Imperial kingdom's capital was nothing but a small patch on an emerald green landscape.

Clouds sizzled into steam as the majestic bird cut through the sky, leaving wet streaks on both of the boys' faces, who laughed as they ran their hands through the white mist that enveloped them.

Kyungsoo, not wanting to hinder their visibility too much, lowered the phoenix via gravity manipulation, but Chanyeol stopped him before he could lower them down too far.

 

"We need to stay hidden." The taller of the two insisted, latching on to Kyungsoo's hand.

 

"I know, but I'd like to see where we're _going_."  Kyungsoo remarked, startled by the sudden contact and began pulling his wrist away from Chanyeol's grip. "Plus a fire phoenix isn't exactly the most discrete mode of transport anyway."

 

Chanyeol gave in, allowing for a minor descent. Then he realised something, "I don't actually know your name. Care to enlighten me?"

 

"I'm Kyungsoo."

 

"Chanyeol." He punctuated with an extra wide grin. "Nice to meet you. Thanks for, y'know, saving my life."

 

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Chanyeol." Kyungsoo offered his hand, which left Chanyeol mildly surprised.

 

"Why are you speaking to me like I'm the master of the house, or whatever it is? Aren't we the same age?" Chanyeol asked, finding it hard to hide his disbelief.

 

"Oh…well-" The smaller boy wasn't well versed in friendly conversation; even with Jongin, he had maintained his distance simply because he was the young master and the other slaves made sure to never show their affections towards anyone else other than the family, knowing that they would be punished if they did. "I'm just being polite…" His voice began to trail off.

 

"Polite?" Chanyeol guffawed, slapping his knee as if it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. "Loosen up a bit Soo!" He wrapped his arm around Kyungsoo's shoulder, pulling him in for a half hug.

 

"Err..I-I..um..we-" Kyungsoo was at a loss for words; he had never met someone so forward with their affections, not even his father or Amber, who he had known to be quite clingy at times. "Could you please not do… _that_." He removed Chanyeol's arm from around him, the owner of which looking slightly offended. "I need to concentrate. And _Soo?"_

 

"Yeah, it's a nickname. What, you don't like it?"

 

"Not at all." Kyungsoo frowned, watching a teasing grin form on Chanyeol's face.

  
"Then I'll just keep saying it until you do."

 

After an hour of flying, Eris was completely out of sight, with nothing but a huge expanse of land before the boys. Without any real destination in mind, the two decided to explore the countryside from the luxury of their phoenix.

From their height, they could see brooding rain clouds splitting open over a small hamlet, beyond which a sparse collection of trees, taller than any either of them had ever seen before, gently swayed despite the strong winds lashing at their trunks. Further along from the hamlet stood a ruined fortress with crawling ivy entrenched in the weathered stone, at the base of which the pair observed a group of men gathered around a measly fire; although they couldn't quite make out their faces, they felt that it was best to avoid that area in case of bandits, as their ilk was known to reside in such places.

 

Another half an hour of travelling the skies led the boys to a sizeable farming village.

Chanyeol fell about laughing as a farmer almost fainted from shock when the phoenix swooped down a little too low; Kyungsoo punched him on the arm twice, one for breaking his concentration, and two for almost knocking the both of them off the giant bird because of the taller boy's flailing limbs when he laughed.

 

As they drew close to Orphell city, a place Kyungsoo often visited with Yixing when he was still a child, the pair spotted a giant lake framed by a dense forest of fir trees. Reflecting the phoenix's dynamic shape, the huge body of water seemed to radiate an air of mystery as the bird glided over it. For Kyungsoo, however, a sense of sadness had been evoked in him; he could describe it as a feeling of longing, like he wanted to plunge into the depths of the lake and call it home. Thoughts of jumping off the phoenix filled his brain, but he fought them back, shaking his head vigorously as if it would help in any way.

Chanyeol became aware of his companion's discomfort and shifting eyes, placing a consolatory hand on the smaller boy's back in hopes of easing his worries.

The taller boy then willed his phoenix to steer away from the lake until it was fading from their sight, along with Kyungsoo's distressing thoughts.

Chanyeol decided that it would be better to not talk about it.

 

"This is going to sound weird, but I'm going to say it anyway." Chanyeol eventually piped up, the lengthy silence between the two having made him feel terribly lonely. "I saw you in a dream, or a vision if that's more accurate. You were surrounded by some cold white haze, and then suddenly everything - my chains, my mask, that godforsaken guillotine - _broke_. I can't thank you enough, you saved my neck there…literally."

 

"It's not weird, well _it is_ , but I experienced the same sort of vision as you. I saw your execution and it was… quite gruesome, to put it bluntly." Kyungsoo told him, deciding to omit his second vision where they were practically almost kissing. The thought of it made blood rush to his cheeks again, making them a uniform shade of pink; Kyungsoo didn't know _why_ he got so embarrassed thinking about it, but perhaps he was more prudish than he had originally thought.

 

"Are you okay Soo? Your cheeks are really flushed. Are you ill?." The taller boy's voice was brimming with concern, which admittedly made Kyungsoo feel rather warm inside.

Without any warning, Chanyeol cupped Kyungsoo's cheeks in his large hands and hummed in concentration, inspecting the boy's face closely.

Unfortunately for Kyungsoo, it only made his blushing worse.

 

"Chanyeol, what the hell are you doing?" The smaller boy tried to remain calm, keeping up an unamused tone. Contact like this from a virtual stranger was making his brain short-circuit, sending shots of adrenaline soaring through his bloodstream.

 

"Checking your temperature of course, wasn't it pretty obvious?" Chanyeol looked at him quizzically, as if what he was doing was completely natural. "I mean, this is how my father checked my temperature…wait, or was it like this-" He leaned in, pressing his forehead against Kyungsoo's. The smaller of the two stared in disbelief, his eyes widening to the size of an owl's. "Woah, your eyes are _massive_."

 

Overwhelmed, Kyungsoo pressed his palms on Chanyeol's chest and shoved him backwards. "You check someone's temperature with the _back of your goddamn hand._ " He burst out because, at this point, staying calm was becoming increasingly difficult when his companion seemed to lack any boundaries or inhibitions.

"You do it like this-" Kyungsoo demonstrated by holding his hand to his own forehead, instead of invading the personal space of a certain somebody. "If it's hot, it's hot and that person is probably ill. But if it's not, you don't hold on to their face and _examine it_. I thought this was common sense, Chanyeol!"

 

Looking like a kicked puppy, Chanyeol lowered his head and mumbled an apology. However, his lament was short-lived as he noticed that the phoenix was falling at an abnormally rapid speed.

 

"Soo, oh my god, Soo, we're falling." Chanyeol began to panic; he was certainly not in the right state of mind to control the phoenix, leaving the responsibility to fall solely on Kyungsoo.

 

" _Shit_." The now sole pilot of the bird swore under his breath, realising that the phoenix was falling because _he_ had lost concentration and nothing he did could steady their impending crash. "I can't control it anymore."

Chanyeol clung on to the feathers of the phoenix in desperation, pulling back to steer the bird upwards, however the feathers only dissipated into smoke every time he tried.

 

Tears of frustration filled his eyes as he hopelessly tugged at the creature's disappearing feathers, "Kyungsoo nothing is fucking working. What the _fuck_ do I do? We're going to die and it's going to be my fault!" The boy buried his head into his hands, letting out a muffled scream.

 

"Chanyeol, calm down, just make that heat sphere again-"

 

The phoenix began to dive head first towards the earth, the boys now practically perpendicular to the ground. Both of them held on to the phoenix for dear life, the wind completely knocked out of their lungs; Kyungsoo gasped for air, struggling to form any sentences as the force weighed down on his body, while Chanyeol closed his eyes, trying to transform the phoenix's energy into a heat sphere.

 

"Ch…yeol…hurry." Kyungsoo managed to utter, his consciousness fading quickly. "I…gra…vi…ty."

 

As the phoenix reached just a few metres above the ground, its fiery form morphed into an unstable sphere that enclosed the two boys. Kyungsoo, with what little energy he had left, locked the heat waves into a stable state of descent.

The two floated down to the ground safely, their hearts still beating incredibly fast while they tried to steady their heavy breathing.

 

Once their feet were firmly planted on the grassy patch of land, they fell to the floor, exhausted and wishing for a long, well-deserved nap.

Several minutes filled with panting and exchanged looks of relief passed before the boys began to talk again.

"Well that was fun." Kyungsoo laughed breathlessly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

 

"Yeah, almost dying twice in one day is always fun." Chanyeol smiled weakly, before groaning and turning on his side, hands gripping his stomach.

 

"Chanyeol, what's wrong?" Kyungsoo sat up, watching the boy squeeze his eyes tightly shut as if he was in a great deal of pain.

 

"I'm starving Soo. Like, really, really, I'd-turn-to-cannibalism-if-I-had-to starving." With perfect timing, Chanyeol's stomach growled especially loud.

 

Combined with his dramatic, pleading puppy eyes, Kyungsoo burst out laughing, unable to bear the ridiculousness of his companion.

Chanyeol pouted, but he couldn't help noticing the heart shape Kyungsoo's lips formed, or how pleasant his laugh sounded. It was a wonderful change of scenery, seeing the boy be genuinely happy instead of so stiff and guarded.

 

"Me too, let's go find somewhere, or something, to eat." Kyungsoo suggested after regaining his posture, now with a cordial smile on his face.

 

\---

 

 

The duo followed a well-trodden gravel stone path that cut through a forest of thinly dispersed oak trees, allowing for a brightly lit forest floor.

Sunlight penetrated the mildly dense canopy with ease, forming an intricate pattern of light on the moist soil beneath; a gentle breeze rustled the vibrant green leaves, causing the image to shift and scatter, to dance across the undergrowth as one body to the beat of the blowing wind.

Kyungsoo found himself lost in the orchestra of whispering foliage; he allowed his muscles to relax and enjoy their journey as if it was a stroll in the park.

Chanyeol, on the other hand, tried befriending whatever woodland creature passed him out of sheer boredom; no matter how many times he tried to engage Kyungsoo in small talk, their conversation ended after a few sentences due to the smaller boy's lack of any meaningful responses. Chanyeol had wondered what kind of life Kyungsoo had been living that caused him to be so closed off, but he gathered that he wouldn't be getting a proper response no matter what question he asked.

While Chanyeol liked Kyungsoo and definitely wanted to get closer to him, he couldn't tell if the boy even like him at all; Chanyeol enjoyed the phoenix ride with him, despite their near-death experience, but he felt like he annoyed Kyungsoo too much at times. Connecting with people came naturally to him, but Kyungsoo was proving to be a challenge.

 

After finally giving up on trying to gain a squirrel's trust, Chanyeol made another attempt at talking to Kyungsoo, this time with the intention of throwing him off.

"So, have you ever wondered if cannibals eat _every_ part of the male body?" Chanyeol asked with genuine curiosity.

 

"Can't say that I have, but I'm guessing that they would because-" Kyungsoo responded sincerely, far too sincere for Chanyeol's tastes.

 

" _Every_ part of _the male_ body?" A bewildered Kyungsoo turned to Chanyeol, whose eyebrows were waggling suggestively.

 

Realising what the other boy was pulling, Kyungsoo scrunched up his nose in disgust. "You have _got_ to be kidding me. Seriously fucking hell Chanyeol, grow up."

He stormed off, increasing the distance between the two, emotionally and physically.

Chanyeol concluded that maybe making inappropriate jokes wasn't the best way of approaching Kyungsoo, but he was glad that he had opened up enough to swear so openly at him.

Kyungsoo, now a good three metres ahead of the other boy, muttered about how a certain idiot was beginning to test his patience.

 

They eventually came across a huge inn, the biggest either of them had ever seen, located in a clearing bordered by a relatively small lake. Although the building was clearly in need of maintenance, having given the aura of a run-down old shack, smoke was billowing from the chimney and they could hear the lively chatter of customers in the pub. The two boys deemed it comfortable - and safe - enough to _finally_ have lunch.

 

Upon opening the door, a man - presumably the innkeeper - greeted them both with a cheery smile, the curve of his lips resembling that of a cat.

"Welcome to the Dancing Scorpion! I'm Jongdae, owner of this _fine_ establishment. Here for lunch?" The man spoke, his tone as welcoming as his smile.

 

"How'd you guess?" Chanyeol asked, already eyeing the menu situated above Jongdae's head.

 

"Because that's what people come here for, I don't think I've actually ever had someone _sleep_ here for…ages, basically." Jongdae explained while ushering the pair to a table and passing them two menus.

 

"Isn't this an inn though?" Kyungsoo questioned the innkeeper as he sat down in his chair, which he noted as being _very_ comfortable indeed.

 

"You've probably seen the state of this building from outside, no one in their right mind would want to sleep here." Jongdae chuckled modestly, quickly wiping the table down.

 

"Aren't you supposed to, I don't know, make people _want_ to sleep here? It seems rather counterintuitive to actively drive potential customers off like this." The smaller of the two boys raised an eyebrow as Jongdae merely shrugged it off. Chanyeol, on the other hand, was salivating over the specials.

 

"Because I have a heart and I don't want to see anyone staying here getting hurt." Jongdae mumbled, barely audible to the pair. He suddenly changed his tone, unsatisfied with how miserable he was beginning to sound. "Just come order at the bar when you're ready."

 

With that, the innkeeper left. The two exchanged puzzled looks, but simply dismissed it as they mulled over their choice of meal.

"Hey, it's quite cheap here and I don't have money." Chanyeol decided to interrupt their silence, pushing his lips into a straight line as if to say _There's nothing I can do about this, so why don't you pay for me?_

 

"I gathered that someone fresh out of prison wouldn't have money." Kyungsoo half-sighed half-chuckled at Chanyeol, who had his hands clasped together pleadingly. "Don't worry, I've got plenty in my satchel, just don't order too much okay?"

 

Between the two of them, they ordered rabbit stew with a loaf of bread, toad in the hole and mashed potatoes, various puddings because they found that they both had sweet tooths, and Jongdae's special 'saltwater tea', which, despite the name, tasted incredibly bitter.

 

"The secret ingredient in saltwater tea is…wait for it… pickled herring! It really gives it that extra kick." Jongdae stated proudly after being hounded by the boys for destroying their taste buds.

 

"But _why_?" Chanyeol asked dubiously with five cinnamon sticks in his mouth, sucking on them to get rid of the horrid aftertaste.

 

"Why? Who the hell orders saltwater tea in the first place?" Jongdae fell about laughing, loud enough to draw the attention of the other customers. "I can't believe you fell for that!" He wiped tears from his eyes, almost breathless but not enough to stop laughing. "Oh, that made my day."

 

" _Hysterical._ " Chanyeol bit back, resigning to sulking like a five-year-old.

He looked at Kyungsoo, who seemed just about ready to murder the innkeeper, and passed him a cinnamon stick from his mouth. The boy waved his hand away, choosing instead to take the last slice of pumpkin pie. "Not a fan of cinnamon?"

 

"Not a fan of sharing a stranger's saliva." Kyungsoo responded after a swallowing a mouthful of pie.

 

Chanyeol, already sour from being pranked, couldn't hide how offended he was. "Stranger? I hardly think we're strangers anymore."

 

"Sorry, acquaintances." Kyungsoo corrected himself. "Look, bottom line is I just don't like the idea of food from someone else's mouth being in mine."

 

"Nevermind the saliva Kyungsoo, but do you honestly think we're just acquaintances?" Chanyeol didn't want to sound desperate or clingy, but it was frustrating him how unreadable Kyungsoo was. How he wouldn't return affections in the same way it was given to him. Chanyeol could tell the boy definitely had issues with getting close to people, but it just wasn't something he himself had ever fully grasped the concept of. How difficult was it to say _friends_? Why go through all these unnecessary hoops?

 

"Chanyeol, I can count on my hand how many hours I've known you. To me, you're a complete stranger - acquaintance, I mean - we can't just suddenly become best friends like this." Kyungsoo tried to reason with him. "I honestly don't know what you're expecting, but please don't make a big deal out of this."

 

Despite how overzealous he may be, Chanyeol knew when to quit. "I won't. Just pay the bill." His words were laced with bitterness, much like that damn tea.

 

\---

 

 

Much to Jongdae's horror, the pair decided to rent a room for the night. After the conversation at lunch, both of them were in an irritable mood and still longing for that nap.

 

"Did you ignore all of my warnings just to spite me?" Jongdae questioned them with incredulity.

 

"Don't be so damn dramatic." Kyungsoo snapped, swiping the keys from the innkeeper's hand, who looked as if someone had just slapped him across the face. Chanyeol followed the smaller boy down the corridor while throwing Jongdae an apologetic look. The interior of the inn seemed decent enough: there were no cobwebs, no collapsing beams, nothing to suggest that they could be in danger; Jongdae seemed to have cleaned the place thoroughly, despite his persistence in scaring off customers.

 

Kyungsoo looked for the room, the number of which was attached to the iron key on a square piece of card. When he eventually did and swung the door open, he groaned at the sight of only one bed.

 

Chanyeol moved around the boy, now frozen in the doorway.

"I don't care about personal space right now, so just deal with it and sleep." Chanyeol collapsed on to the bed, one eye fixed on Kyungsoo, who began to sit down on the armchair by the foot of the bed instead.

 

The taller of the two wasn't having it, rolling over the sheets to grab Kyungsoo's wrist. Before the boy could even react, Chanyeol pulled him in and pinned him by the shoulders to one side of the bed. Dazed by Chanyeol's sudden aggression, Kyungsoo lay still under the other's grip; memories of that rotten household came back to him, a knot forming in his stomach.

"Don't be so courteous when I can tell you're exhausted. You _will_ sleep on this bed, even if I have to lie on top of you." He told Kyungsoo firmly, but his eyelids were already drooping and his words slightly slurred. Chanyeol's elbows buckled, causing his body to cave in on Kyungsoo's; the latter, rather than feeling frightened about being potentially sexually harassed, tutted in annoyance at how heavy the other boy was.

 

"We need to talk about boundaries because this isn't okay, Chanyeol." Kyungsoo complained, the boy's head weighing down on his chest.  His long legs were sprawled across his own and arms tightly wrapped around his torso, as if he was hugging a pillow. Kyungsoo wanted to push him off, but Chanyeol had already began snoring, clearly comfortable with his current position.

He couldn't help but notice how small and childish Chanyeol acted, despite his deceptive height; down to the way he snuggled his cheek against Kyungsoo's chest and how he gently clung on to the fabric of Kyungsoo's shirt.

Kyungsoo didn't know what to feel about him.

All he knew was that Chanyeol made him blush way too much, and he really didn't know why.

 

 

\---

 

The pair slept through the afternoon without moving a muscle.

At sunset, the room was bathed in an orange light akin to the colour of fresh peaches; birds chirped outside the window, followed by the sound of beating wings and rustling leaves as they migrated to other trees.

A sharp knock sounded on the door, breaking the hours long peace the two were enjoying.

 

Kyungsoo woke up first, and managed to peel himself away from Chanyeol's grip, before drowsily making his way to the door.

When he had opened it, Jongdae was on the other side, fidgeting on the spot with a look of displeasure on his face; his eyebrows were furrowed in worry and Kyungsoo noticed the dagger sheathed at his side.

 

"If you're going to stay the night, I should at least explain to you what you're up against." Jongdae explained calmly, despite his less than stable exterior. He walked across the room and sat down on the armchair. "Care to wake him up?"

 

"Too late. Up already." Chanyeol grunted, sitting up on the bed slowly while wiping the sleep from his eyes. He let out a yawn and scratched the back of his head, feeling slightly bothered by the empty space by his side. "What's wrong?"

 

"Look, the reason I don't want anyone here is because this place is haunted. I'm not making this up as a joke, I'm being serious. This inn has been plagued by a ghost for a little over a year now, and it's _violent._ " Jongdae revealed, rolling up his sleeves to show several scars running up his arm. "It did this. I've had customers who were attacked, but thankfully no one has died…yet."

 

"Have you tried hiring an exorcist?" Kyungsoo asked, though he was still unconvinced.

  
"I did once, but it only angered the ghost. It seems to be getting worse." Jongdae sighed. "Luckily, it only appears in the night, as ghosts do for some reason."

 

"Why don't you just sell this place and find another location?" Chanyeol chimed in, a pillow clutched between his arms and legs.

 

"I've thought about it, believe me I have, but I just can't bring myself to do it." Jongdae rubbed the back of his neck; the sunlight illuminated his face, highlighting the dark circles under his eyes and his weariness, which had been hidden by those wide smiles. "This inn belonged to my family. It's the last memory I have of them…it would break my heart to give it to someone else."

 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo nodded in understanding, but nonetheless, they still needed a place to stay for the night.

 

"I have a cottage just up the road from here, you're welcome to sleep there." Jongdae offered while cautiously watching the setting sun.

Darkness had already crept into the room, replacing the brilliant warmth that once was there with something much colder, more uninviting.

The trio made their way to the pub downstairs and to the entrance of the building, the doors of which were mysteriously locked.

 

Jongdae tried to open the doors with his keys to no avail; he slammed his shoulder into the wood, hoping to force it open, but with no luck.

 

"Oh who would've guessed? Haunted inns, locked doors…I can already see where this is going." Chanyeol moaned, deciding to sit on a stool as the other two began practically demolishing the door. "Why don't you just come out already Mr. Ghost? Save us the trouble of bumping into you."

 

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Kyungsoo scoffed.

 

In the middle of the floor, a white mist rose from the cracks between the wooden planks; it began forming a circle as a figure faded into existence in the centre.

"I didn't actually think that that would work!" Chanyeol exclaimed, now off his seat and edging closer to the other two.

 

A boy, no older than ten, materialised from the haze; chains were attached to his neck and limbs, which disappeared into the floorboards and rattled despite the lack of movement.

"Little brother." His voice echoed in layers, sounding as if he was speaking while submerged in water. "Jongdae. You cannot stay. Leave. Leave or he will hurt you."

The boy's words were disjointed and stiff. As his body became more opaqe, the burn scars on his face became clearer and it became evident that his eye sockets were empty, as if his eyeballs had melted away; his mouth was agape in a permanent state of silent screaming, though it didn’t change when he spoke.

"J-Jongdeok?" Jongdae spoke, barely making out the name in a whisper. The look on his face was indescribable; a mix of conflicting emotions was on his face, unsure of which one he was feeling.

 

"Jongdae. _Please._ " There was a hint of desperation in the boy's voice as he disappeared, leaving the trio in the darkness of the inn.

 

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol exchanged a few looks, both silently agreeing to comfort the older man, who was now shaking in despair, clearly distressed after seeing his deceased brother.

"I think I owe you an explanation." Jongdae finally uttered, voice low and so uncharacteristically depressed. The other two would never have thought to see this side of the man, who was bursting with life earlier that day.

 

They sat around a table with a candle flame flickering in the middle.

"I lived here with my family, our house used to be attached to the current building. Obviously running this place took a fair bit of money, which my parents ended up borrowing. That didn't end well. We couldn't pay back the interest and the loan shark was angry; my dad made matters worse by threatening to reveal the man's secret - that he owned Imperial slaves." Jongdae's voice cracked, hiding it by coughing. "So the loan shark set our house on fire. I mean, I didn't _know_ it was him, I couldn't see, but who else would it be? I was seven at the time. I couldn’t save anyone. I _heard_ my parents and my brother screaming for help, but I-I just couldn't do anything. I ran to the nearest village, shouting for help, but it was too late."

 

Jongdae didn't cry, but he buried his face in his hands, shoulders trembling. "Even now, I can still hear them, burning in agony. I don't want to leave out of guilt. Because I did nothing, _nothing_ to help but escape by myself."

 

"The ghost, that _thing_ , that haunts this place isn't my brother. That was the first I've seen him since his death." The innkeeper continued. "It's something…demonic. Always surrounded by a black haze, but only ever revealing itself at night. I honestly don't know why it attacks, or where it even came from. All I do know is that it's keeping my brother's hostage."

 

Chanyeol remembered a lesson he had at Solis on spirits. Powerful souls that lingered in the realm of the living, rather than being absorbed into the earth - the Dragons' bodies - could grow to overpower, even control, weaker souls; seeing how Jongdeok was chained up for who knows how long, it meant that whatever spirit that occupied the house was incredibly strong.

 After sharing his knowledge, he continued to speak, "I wonder why Jongdeok only showed himself now, I hardly think it's because I summoned him. I'm pretty sure that isn't one of my powers." Chanyeol pondered, turning his attention to Kyungsoo. He remembered that he hadn't even told that boy that he was the Sun Dragon's Channel, but thought that perhaps now wasn't the best time to tell him; Chanyeol was sure that the Channels under the Sun Dragon couldn't call upon spirits, after all, the sun _gave_ life, so he didn't really have a good reason to bring it up.

 

Kyungsoo was silent, despite his companion looking at him to add something to the conversation. He had already dealt with death multiple times that month, even manipulating a person's soul to give another life; Kyungsoo had an inkling that it was him who summoned Jongdeok, but the problem was, he hadn't done anything to suggest that he did.

"It wasn't me. Gravity manipulation is all I can pretty much do." Kyungsoo eventually spoke up.

 

"I see…so you're both mages?" Jongdae asked, interest piqued.

Without wanting to go into detail due to personal reasons, the two boys answered with a simple "Yes."

 

Kyungsoo found that Chanyeol was still looking at him, not as if he was dubious, but encouraging instead. _What could he possibly know?_ Kyungsoo thought to himself; it was eating away at him, how he was withholding some potentially important information. He bit his lip and decided that now wasn't the time to be so selfish.

"…and, I think, I can manipulate souls."

 

Jongdae raised his eyebrows in shock. "Well why didn’t you say it sooner? I don't know if you've noticed, but we're dealing with souls right now. _Murderous_ souls."

 

"I'm sure he had his reasons, don't blame him for not wanting to say anything about it." Chanyeol defended Kyungsoo, coming to understand that the boy was this way because of experiences he had no control over. Everyone was like that, shaped by all these external factors, and Chanyeol felt like he was pushing Kyungsoo too hard for not opening up, rather than appreciating that these things take time, that people don't change in a matter of hours. Chanyeol was beginning to learn that becoming friends with Kyungsoo wasn't going to happen immediately, it needed _time_.

However, it still bugged him that he didn't know _why_ Kyungsoo was like this, despite his persistent questions.

 

"Chanyeol, it's fine. I should've said something earlier." Kyungsoo gave Chanyeol a sad smile, then turned to Jongdae. "The problem is, I don't know if I can; I've only manipulated souls by accident."

 

"Well, let's see if you can control another one by accident." Jongdae's voice dropped to a low whisper. "He's here."

 

The trio froze in place as the sound of rattling chains scraping across the floor could be heard in the corridor beside the pub. Black fog began rolling across the wooden boards, engulfing the group's feet in a matter of seconds.

A figure appeared from the doorway, laden with a thick black hooded cloak wrapped in equally dark chains; it moved slowly into the pub, facing the trio as it loomed closer and closer.

Kyungsoo noticed its face was just a skull, covered in a viscous liquid the colour of charcoal; the spirit was a mass of solid darkness, though large in appearance, it glided with a certain grace. It couldn't possibly just be a powerful spirit, like the ones Chanyeol spoke of, it looked like a demon, but Kyungsoo had never seen one before and couldn’t say for certain.

"I know this isn't the best time to be asking questions, but when did it start appearing?" Kyungsoo whispered to Jongdae without taking his eye off the spirit.

 

"Early last year, in the winter. Quit a job at Eris to start working at the inn again." He replied in brief sentences, gripping his dagger tightly. "Started showing up the night I got back. Tried to exorcise it, only made it stronger - and angrier."

The spirit was now a few metres in front of them, a black haze billowing from its mouth.

 

"Kyungsoo, _do something_." Chanyeol hissed. "I can't use my breath, I'll burn the entire building down."

 

"What part do you not get about _accident_ Chanyeol? I don't know how to control my bloody powers!"

 

"Do it." Jongdae suddenly spoke.

 

"What?" The boys said in unison.

 

"Burn this building down. If it sets my brother free, just burn it down." He said, determined to see it through.

 Chanyeol hesitated, but Jongdae met his eyes with a look of approval.

The Sun Dragon's Channel took in a deep breath and _blew_.

As the flames erupted from his mouth, Chanyeol formed a heat sphere around the other two, which was then stabilised by Kyungsoo; Jongdae looked on in a mixture of awe and sorrow as he watched his beloved inn burn. The spirit screeched an ungodly high-pitched noise, shielding itself from the fire with its skeletal arms.

As the wooden beams began collapsing around them and Jongdae's fond memories slowly turned to ashes, the spirit's body fragmented into smaller pieces, scattering itself into the wind. In the centre of the chaos, Jongdae's family appeared, their bodies unmarred and with warm smiles on their faces; plumes of smoke eventually engulfed them, fading away as the spirit had done.

"Wait!" Jongdae screamed out, but Kyungsoo held him back in order to prevent him from breaking the sphere. The boy watched the grown man be reduced to tears, the years of despair and loneliness pouring out in his hoarse cries. "Come back, _please_." Jongdae was now kneeling on the floor untouched by Chanyeol's fire, looking out helplessly into the dancing flames.

Kyungsoo couldn't bear to watch him, couldn't bear to see someone's family slip away from them.

He tilt his head back, his eyes turning white.

 

_Come in_

 

In a flash of light, a silvery white fog billowed out of Kyungsoo's mouth, crawling across the floor and extinguishing Chanyeol's flames, the owner of which had stopped blowing and was now watching his companion intently. From the fog emerged the spirits of Jongdae's family, who had a look of confusion on their translucent pristine faces.

"Speak, those not of this realm." Kyungsoo ordered, his voice lower by several octaves.

 

Jongdeok stepped forward, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Jongdae, don't blame yourself." The boy gently placed a kiss on his forehead. "Thank you for never forgetting us. For always remembering us so lovingly. It’s time to move on and live your life, don't let us hold you back."

 

His parents followed suit, embracing him and leaving their words of wisdom. "We will always love you, no matter what you do, so please, it's time to move on."

 

Once again, the spirits faded away into the wind and nothing but the sound of the dying flames filled the silence.

 

\---

 

They spent the rest of the night in Jongdae's cottage, talking over bowls of freshly made sweet potato soup.

 

"I wonder what that spirit was, or why it seemed to die with the inn." Jongdae said between spoonfuls of soup.

 

"If I had to guess, maybe it got cursed by somebody while you were away." Kyungsoo responded, then took a massive bite of bread. Chanyeol smiled inwardly as he thought about how cute the boy looked as he ate his food, cheeks puffed up like the baby penguins that lived in the north of the continent.

 

"But how? Did some random mage walk by, think to himself 'Oh, yeah, I'll just curse this house for the fun of it' and then walk off. That seems very unrealistic." Chanyeol added, genuinely serious.

 

"Well of course it's unrealistic when you put it that way Chanyeol. I mean, cursed by someone who has grudge on Jongdae." Kyungsoo scoffed, finishing off the last of his soup.

 

"Yeah, did one of your pranks anger a mage by any chance?" Chanyeol grinned teasingly.

 

"No, I only prank those stupid enough to order saltwater tea." Jongdae remarked snidely, waiting for the reaction from the pair.

The two boys glared at him in silence, sending the older man into fits of uncontrollable laughter.

 

"Or maybe a mage got pissed off by your incredibly annoying laugh." Kyungsoo sneered, pushing Jongdae hard enough so that the man fell of his stool.

 

"I gave you food, I gave you shelter, and _this_ is how you repay me? Youths these days." He said, offended, from the comfort of the stone floor.

 

"Your ghost friend almost killed us, we saved your life, and _sweet potato soup_ is all you give us? Old men these days." Chanyeol mimicked his tone, earning a kick to the shin as Jongdae stood up.

 

"I'm not old." The man frowned while clearing away the bowls on the table. "Now go to bed, it's almost eight o'clock."

 

\---

 

As Jongdae only had a single bed, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol shared it while Jongdae kindly offered to sleep on the couch following a heated discussion about who was going to sleep where.

 

All was silent, save for the sound of breathing and the ticking grandfather clock; the embers of the fire beneath the stove had lost their glow, only emitting thin wisps of smoke, while the moonlight reflected on the stack of unwashed dishes that Jongdae had put off washing.

 

Sometime in the night, Chanyeol felt too chilly, reaching out to close the window, which he presumed had been open because of the cold breeze that brushed against his face.

To his disappointment, it wasn't actually open and he felt like his efforts had been wasted, so he decided that snuggling up closer to Kyungsoo might help.

The boy in question was shivering in his sleep, earning a look of pity from Chanyeol, who wrapped him in his arms, holding him close to his chest.

Kyungsoo stirred, but didn't pull away, instead leaning in closer to Chanyeol.

 

In the corner of Chanyeol's eye, he spotted a shift in the darkness, just behind the couch where Jongdae was sleeping.

He chalked it up to his hyperactive imagination and the cold almost freezing his brain.

 

But then a familiar sound sent chills up his spine.

 

The rattling of chains.

 

 

 


	8. A Helping Hand

Chanyeol made a ball of fire in his hands - almost forgetting he even had the ability to after getting so used to breathing fire - and hurled it at the spirit, which let out a pained screech.

 

"JONGDAE, SOO, GET UP GET UP _GET UP_." He screamed from the top of his lungs. Kyungsoo, who was waking up far too slowly despite the ruckus, was slung over Chanyeol's shoulder in a matter of seconds; Jongdae, on the other hand, was up on his feet and had already sprinted outside the minute the first fireball flew over his head.

 

"Chanyeol, my satchel-" Kyungsoo grumbled, still half asleep and had yet to fully grasp what was happening. "I need it."

 

"Now isn't the time to think about material possessions Soo, we need to get out of here." Chanyeol was almost out of the door when Kyungsoo scrambled off his shoulder.

He ran back into the cottage, finally seeing the spirit once more. Despite the way his hands shook and how his knees almost buckled at the sight of the thing, Kyungsoo pressed on, knowing he had to retrieve that satchel at all costs.

"Are you suicidal?!" Jongdae called after him, while also pulling Chanyeol back, who was determined to help his companion. "No, are _both_ of you suicidal?!"

 

Kyungsoo found the satchel lying by the side of Jongdae's bed, immediately picking it up. As he turned around, he met face to face with the demonic spirit, which was even more frightening than it had been during their first encounter. It towered over Kyungsoo, skeletal fingers curved into claws like the talons of a vulture ready to make a feast of its prey.

The boy decided that if Chanyeol could fight it, then surely he could as well. He raised his hands, clenched them into fists and punched the air, all with the fluidity of a well-choreographed dance, a skill attained through years of practice; the spirit was knocked back into the fireplace, metres away from where it had been standing. Stone fell on its crumpled body, allowing Kyungsoo time to escape.

 

Outside, Chanyeol had made his fire phoenix again, now with an extremely excited Jongdae on its back.

The taller of the two offered his hand, which Kyungsoo gladly accepted.

Within seconds, they had fallen back into their routine established earlier that day: Kyungsoo manipulated the phoenix's gravity, allowing it to fly smoothly and at great lengths while Chanyeol steered with his mind. Jongdae was astonished at their teamwork, thinking that all the two did was bicker endlessly.

 

"You must've been friends for a long time, heck, you even argue like a married couple." The man pointed out, taking a few seconds to stop admiring the view beneath them.

The two boys looked at each other: Chanyeol had a huge, immensely pleased grin on his face, while Kyungsoo simply rolled his eyes.

 

"Don't rain on my parade, Soo. You hear that? _Friends_." Chanyeol poked the boy's cheek, completely disregarding what he had learnt to _not_ do in his presence.

 

To his surprise, Kyungsoo didn't lash out or deny the idea, just lightly chuckled. "If you want."

 

"Are you okay?" Chanyeol pressed the back of his palm to Kyungsoo's forehead, checking the temperature the _correct_ way. "You're not possessed, are you?"

 

"I'm fine." Kyungsoo swatted his hand away, a small smile on his face. "Don't push it, or else I might change my mind."

 

Jongdae had been oblivious to the entire exchange between the two, instead choosing to gawk at the kingdom's scenery.

"Jongdae?" Chanyeol clapped his hands at the tip of the man's nose, snapping him out his wonderment. "Kyungsoo said he doesn't have anywhere he can go to, and neither do I, any ideas?"

 

Chanyeol hadn't been lying; he knew that if he returned to Duras, he'd just be captured again and if he saw the families of the people he killed, they would tear him apart for not showing a shred of repentance, despite him really wanting to see his father and Baekhyun again. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, didn't expand on what he said either; he couldn't bear to see his father again, not after what he did to Amber and seeking Jongin's help was completely out of the question.

 

"How about Eris? I've got connections, being an innkeeper and all."

 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo fervently shook their heads in unison.

 

"Why?" Jongdae asked, clearly suspicious.

 

"Umm, how do I put this? Well…I was meant to have my head chopped off at Eris after burning a monastery down - by accident, mind you - and killing several people - also an accident - so I can't really go back." Chanyeol laughed nervously, hand rubbing the back of his neck.

 

"And I was the one that helped him escape, which is also why I can't go back either." Kyungsoo added, albeit with a lot less hesitance than his companion.

 

"I guess we've all done some questionable things in the past," Jongdae shrugged, seeming to take the news much better than the two had originally thought he would. "But Chanyeol, you seriously don't look like the type to kill people."

  
"It was an accident." The boy frowned.

 

"I know, I know, but don't you feel guilty? Does it weigh down on your mind a lot?" Jongdae asked with genuine concern. "I don't mean to pry, I'm just really curious."

 

"I do! And it does!" Chanyeol burst out, feeling the need to defend himself even though Jongdae wasn't accusing him of anything. "I feel…sorry…"

He knew he was a terrible liar, and he could tell that they knew he was a terrible liar. No matter how many times he tried to muster the appropriate feelings after being accused of manslaughter, he felt absolutely nothing for the people he killed, having been more concerned about being locked away in a cell, alone and without anyone to talk to. Despite crying for hours upon hearing the announcement of his execution, some sick, twisted voice in the back of his mind told him that he'd finally be getting the attention he craved.

 

"Oh, I get you. I guess some people are just strong-willed like that; it must really be eating away at you." Jongdae patted Chanyeol's back. "Don't blame yourself too much, it was an accident after all."

Chanyeol felt sick to his stomach.

Kyungsoo made a face that Chanyeol couldn't read, then turned away, choosing to focus on maintaining the bird's altitude.

 

"Hmm, but Eris is pretty much the only destination I can think of." Jongdae tapped his chin in thought. "Plus if that _thing_ shows up again, we'd have a better chance of dealing with it since that city is practically crawling with experienced mages. What if you disguise yourselves?"

 

"Like with a beard?" Chanyeol suggested.

 

"Not exactly. Don't ask me how I know this, but a section of the red light district is a renovated sewer entrance that juts out from underneath the city walls. We can go through there." Jongdae smiled smugly, feeling especially proud of himself for thinking of the idea.

 

"I'm going to ask anyway - how do you know this?" Kyungsoo questioned him. Jongdae winked, sending an extremely uncomfortable shiver up Kyungsoo's spine. "Gross."

 

"What about the disguise? And we're only seventeen, it's illegal for us to be there." Chanyeol chimed in.

 

"You've committed arson and manslaughter, Chanyeol, now is not the time to be abiding by the law." Jongdae remarked, shutting the boy up. "As for the disguise, there's a clothing store for roleplay items just beside the entrance. You can choose."

 

The boys scrunched their noses up in disgust. "You're seventeen for goodness sake, _live a little_." Jongdae scoffed.

 

With that, they began their flight to Eris.

 

\---

 

In a ruined fortress situated on the grassy plains of somewhere in the Imperial countryside, Minseok, Baekhyun and Junmyeon cooked a rabbit over a fire, stomachs rumbling after a day of hunting.

 

"Baekhyun, you need to try again. We're in the middle of God knows where, and I want to go home." Minseok complained haggardly, still not used to the new survival lifestyle they were living. He had been wearing the same charred robe for a little under three weeks and for a man who prized cleanliness over his own life, it was absolute torture.

 

"All I've been doing is _trying_. I'm tired, I'm weak, and we just murdered an innocent bunny! _Think of its family_." Baekhyun was beginning to go into hysterics, his eyeballs quivering like a madman's. "All those little bunny babies don't have a father - wait, no, mother - and all you can think about is _going home_?"

 

"Well, yes, you goddamn fool!" Minseok bit back, already at his wit's end after spending so much time with Byun Baekhyun of all people. "That's what all me, Junmyeon and _you_ want. So shut up about the rabbit and concentrate on getting us back to Duras!"

 

After the heavens opened up and started raining fire on the monastery, Baekhyun had decided to try out the new spell Minseok had given him the scroll to a few days prior: light teleportation, which was, in essence, travelling on light waves to a desired destination. Unfortunately, having never actually used the spell, he teleported the three of them to Mirades instead of Junmyeon's home. Mentally and physically drained, Baekhyun had to wait several more days before being able to use light teleportation again, and thus, after multiple failed attempts at getting back to Duras, they accidentally travelled across the continent in the span of three weeks.

 

Junmyeon tended the fire, listening to the other two bicker amongst themselves. Every day, he feared for Chanyeol's safety; though he hadn't seen the aftermath, he could tell it didn't end well for his son. Despite Minseok's reassurances that Chanyeol wasn't dead, Junmyeon knew how the Imperial kingdom worked and how they dealt with situations as severe as the one he managed to escape - the death penalty. Junmyeon had seen many executions in his lifetime, and the thought of attending his son's irked him; he wondered whether his ties to the Imperial family would save Chanyeol, or if they were too keen on delivering justice.

 

"Junmyeon?" Minseok snapped the man out of his daze. "I think the rabbit is cooked."

 

"O-oh. Right. Let's eat."

More than anything, Junmyeon wanted to go to Eris, where the dungeons were. He wanted, no, needed to see his son again; the old General knew how soft-hearted the boy was that it pained him to think of the state he was most likely in.

"Baekhyun, Minseok." He spoke, untying the rabbit's limbs from the spit. "There's no point in light travel anymore, let's just walk to the nearest village and work out where we go from there."

 

Minseok sighed, as he had hoped that they would never have to pick that option, but all he wanted was a secure way of returning to Duras. "Fine."

"Yeah, fine by me too." Baekhyun uttered between bites of rabbit meat, the same rabbit that he cried over when Junmyeon killed it. "Damn this is good."

 

The next morning, they began their arduous trek through the countryside in search of civilisation. After two hours of hearing Minseok moan about the muddy trenches and Baekhyun's attempts at brightening the mood with his nature-related puns, the trio found a wide dirt road, along which a single wooden cart travelled.

On it was a man dressed in Imperial clothing, assuring the group that they were indeed still in the kingdom.

 

The man stopped his cart beside the group, examining them with poorly hidden pity on his face. "Would you like a lift?"

 

As if an angel had blessed them, the three thanked the man and praised his kindness; Baekhyun even prostrated himself, which the other two men found less than amusing but the cart driver had burst out laughing, thanking the boy for his gratitude.

 

"What's your destination?" The man asked, stepping down from his seat to feed his horse once everyone had climbed on to the cart.

 

"Du-" Minseok began to speak, but Junmyeon had covered his mouth before he could finish.

 

"Eris."

 

"Oh you're in luck, so am I." The cart driver smiled, revealing a dimple on his cheek, then stirred the horse to move after returning to his seat. "I'm delivering the goods beside you."

Baekhyun, looking displeased, edged closer to his friend's father. "But sir, I thought we were, I don't know, going home? Or did I miss something?"

 

"Chanyeol is there, the Imperial army wouldn't have let that fire slide without at least making one arrest. He's there, I can just tell." Junmyeon stated with newfound determination.

 

"Your maternal instincts are really something else." Minseok scoffed, leaning back into his seat to take a well-deserved nap.

 

"Mr. Cart driver, what's your name?" Baekhyun, having grown bored of the other two, decided to engage in some friendly conversation with a new face.

 

"Yixing, and yours?" The man answered.

 

"I'm Baekhyun, the man beside me is Junmyeon - _the_ General Kim Junmyeon - and the priest is Minseok. Wait, sorry, _Father_ Minseok." The boy stated.

Minseok snorted and Junmyeon raised an eyebrow at him using the man's old title.

 

"Oh, General, my son is a big fan of you." Yixing declared without turning his back to the road - lessons from a good friend were hard to forget, after all.

 

"Haha, I'll give him my autograph if we ever meet." Junmyeon chuckled, nudging Baekhyun with a grin on his face. Baekhyun shook his head, smiling at how much of a father Junmyeon was indeed.

 

Yixing paused for a second, long enough for the retired General to notice. "…Yes, that would be nice. He's a lovely boy, I'm sure you'll like him."

 

"Maybe my son and him can be friends one day, I think they'd get along."

 

"I would like that very much."

 

The fathers smiled bitterly, knowing that one more wish would have to go unfulfilled.

 

\---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After successfully infiltrating Eris without incident, Jongdae dragged the reluctant boys to the clothing store, anticipating their reactions.

Despite its location, the roleplay store seemed to be unassuming at first glance, with rather tame outfits on display in the window, but inside was a completely different story. When Jongdae had opened the door, a masked man in a suit greeted him with a friendly smile and Jongdae then shooed the boys away to begin costume hunting while he conversed with, presumably, his acquaintance.

 

"Oh my god Soo, they have a Unioner costume." Chanyeol pulled the clothes by the sleeve, afraid of touching anything indecent.

"But aren't those just _normal_ Union clothes?" Kyungsoo grimaced as he saw the other costumes hung beside it. He did not want to think of his father at a time like this.

"Yeah, I guess people get off of having xenophobic remarks hurled at them." Chanyeol sneered, pushing the shirt back into place.

 

The duo came across various crotchless items of clothing, a costume completely made out of black leather strips and another that involved inserting objects into certain places in order to make it fit. By the time they made one round around the shop, Chanyeol had picked up a mid-thigh-length fur mantle with an oversized hood, seeing as the heat never bothered him anyway, and Kyungsoo chose a thin grey silk cloak, also hooded, that reached his elbows. Both of them decided on wearing a cloth mask, as they seemed to be in fashion considering the numerous amount of city people wearing them.

 

When the two brought their items to the counter, Jongdae booed. "How boring can you two get?"

 

"We need to _blend in_ , not get involved in whatever weird things you're into." Kyungsoo snapped, none too pleased about being made to witness some of the more racy outfits.

 

"I'm talking about the costumes that actually look cool - no offence Changmin. I mean, did you see that battle armour? Or that squire's garb? Did you not appreciate the time and effort put in to make such an intricate design? Did you not see the detailed stitching that I laboure- oh, whoops." Jongdae slapped his hand over his mouth before he could reveal anymore.

 

"Ohhh, so that's why you brought us here. To brag." Chanyeol smirked, arms folded across his chest.

 

"I wanted you to appreciate true art." Jongdae tried to explain, but soon realised that the other two weren't convinced. "Just put on your cloaks and masks and your whatevers so we can go."

 

Kyungsoo paid for the clothing before he and Chanyeol donned their new outerwear and face covers. The trio left the store just as the morning sun had began to peek over the city walls, its light pouring over the buildings.

 

Staying in the shadows, they eventually left the red light district and entered the residential district, one of the more heavily guarded sectors of the city. Wanted posters of Kyungsoo and Chanyeol were plastered on lamp posts and benches, both of which had a reward for one thousand gold coins, enough to buy a mansion in the central residential area.

 

"Hey if I turn you in, I'd be rich!" Chanyeol commented while examining the drawing of his face, which wasn't half bad; his general features were captured accurately, but his ears were enlarged to twice the size of the original.

 

"If you can't see the flaw in that plan, then you don't deserve my friendship." Kyungsoo tutted, quite offended by how big they made his nose in the poster.

 

"Hell, I could turn the both of you in and never have to work a day in my life." Jongdae chipped in, earning him two rather annoyed looks. "Gosh, I'm joking!"

 

After turning into an alleyway to avoid a group of approaching guards, they came out of the other side entering an area unfamiliar to Jongdae. The houses formed a ring with a small park in the middle, at the centre of which stood a large willow tree with a stone bench at its trunk.

The trio settled down on the park floor, idly picking at the grass blades and daisies while discussing their course of action.

 

"My friend owns a house in the mage's district, but she lives around this area. If you stay hidden while I fetch the keys, we can stay there for as long as we need to." Jongdae stated, successfully creating a daisy chain that he placed on Kyungsoo's head.

 

"Should Kyungsoo and I stay here while you go get the keys? It seems pretty safe." Chanyeol offered while he pointed at the flowers, signalling Jongdae to make him one as well.

 

"I've never seen this part of the district before, but if you're alright with waiting here, then I don't see why not." Jongdae agreed, to both Chanyeol's suggestion and request for a daisy chain. After making another chain, the man stood up, ready to make his way through the alley again, but ended up stopping in his tracks.

 

Guards marched into the estate, their feet beating rhythmically on the cobblestone pavement. By the order of their Commander, their spears were drawn and pointed at the group.

 

"In the name of His Majesty, do not move or attempt to use magic. Failure to follow these conditions will result in immediate death." The Commander's voice echoed,  resonating with authority.

 

"Not again." Chanyeol sighed, knowing that it was best to just give in. Jongdae threw him a look, mouthing _Wasn't me_.

 

Neither Kyungsoo or Chanyeol had ruled him out for certain, but despite the man's limitless snark, they knew he was far too kind to betray anybody's trust.

 

"His Majesty has personally requested to see you, Kim Chanyeol." As the guards tied their hands behind their backs, the Commander stepped closer to him, practically breathing on the boy's face. "Thank the Dragons that your father is - _was_ \- the Emperor's  dog, boy."

Underneath the helmet, Chanyeol could see the Commander's condescending sneer, eyes boring into his with contempt.

 

\---

 

It was noon by the time Yixing had arrived at Eris, the passengers on his cart already in a deep sleep.

Junmyeon suddenly awoke to the shouts of merchants advertising their goods and the clatter of horses' hooves on the stone bridge; he looked up, taking in the sight of the familiar city walls with its viridian spires.

 

"Baekhyun, Minseok, we're here." He gently shook the shoulders of the other two, both of whom had jolted upwards, momentarily stunned and confused as to where they were. "We're almost at the city gates."loyal  
 

Baekhyun's eyes widened with glee; he leaned out of the cart, watching as the city gates drew closer, beyond which he saw the colourful bunting threading between the tall narrow whitewashed buildings and a plethora of visitors from all over the continent. If the war had affected in Eris in any way, it certainly wasn't showing.

 

"I never thought I'd actually see Eris!" Baekhyun practically squealed in delight, beaming at Junmyeon who was laughing at the boy's overexcitement.

 

"It certainly is lively." Minseok finally sat up, squinting his eyes to adjust to the light. "We might even be able to request an audience with the Court Mage, Baekhyun."

 

"Oh yes, I last met Lady Taeyeon when she was completing her Mastery of the Arcane Arts to ascend to that position; I think she resides in the palace now, so I don't see why you can't visit her." Junmyeon chimed in whilst also trying to calm down Baekhyun, who was bouncing in his seat vigorously enough to rock the cart.

 

"Is she pretty?" Baekhyun grinned.  
 

"Yes, and she's also old enough to be your mother." Junmyeon chuckled, watching the boy's face fall in dejection.

 

"General, I'll be dropping you off at the Merchant's Square, if that's okay with you." Yixing shouted from his seat, voice nearly drowned out by the people bustling around the cart.

 

"Yixing, you don't have to call me General, just Junmyeon is fine." The man answered. "And yes, that would be wonderful, thank you."

 

"Your welcome, Junmyeon." Though the others couldn't see it, Yixing smiled, having been without companionship ever since his son had ran away. It made him happy to be able to talk to others again, to not feel so lonely anymore.

 

The Unioner had buried Amber under the shadow of the giant oak tree on the hill beside his and Kyungsoo's house. They often had picnics there when Kyungsoo was still a child, and every time they did, Amber never failed to be amazed by the boy's cooking skills, even if it was just a few finger sandwiches. She would bring her siblings along, then her relatives, until the entire town eventually joined with their lunches in hand; nothing like that had ever happened again ever since news of the hijacked coach reached Tenilur.

Yixing didn't blame Kyungsoo for whatever he had done to bring him back to life at the expense of Amber's. He only wished his son had stayed. He only wished that they could have celebrated the life of a brilliant woman together. He only wished that things hadn't turned out this way, for both Amber and Kyungsoo.

 

The cart had almost reached the Merchant's Square when they suddenly were halted by guards.

"Unfortunately this area is off limits. Pardon the inconvenience, but please find another route to your destination." One of the guards informed the group.

Behind the armoured men, the pavement of the plaza was scorched and the surrounding buildings were partially burnt, smoke rising from the carnage like a war had just torn through the area.

 

Baekhyun quickly turned to Junmyeon, "Do you think it was Chanyeol?"

 

A guard overheard the boy speak, then examined the man next to him closely. Upon realising that it was General Kim Junmyeon, he coughed to gain his attention, "Sir, the boy of that name has been taken to the Imperial palace." He declared, trying to conceal a smile; the General was virtually every soldier's childhood hero.

 

"Yixing, I know you must be busy, but could you take us to the Imperial palace? My son might be - no, he _is_ there." Junmyeon asked the merchant, who nodded a yes without any further questions. "Thank you, and thank you, soldier. Keep up the good work."

 

As the cart swerved back around and made its way to the palace, the guard spun around to his comrades. " _The_ General Kim Junmyeon praised me. Praised _me_. Someone hold me, this is too much."

 

Minseok watched the approaching palace in awe; he had visited before for his anointment as a priest of the Sun Dragon and for an award for his contribution to the Imperial Mage Dungeon in a time of need, but seeing it again after so long still made him speechless. Floating gardens were suspended over the palace grounds, from which waterfalls poured out in a beautiful stream of blue; marble pillars larger than the houses in the residential district acted as supports for the many balconies dotted around the palace; azure stones embellished the pristine white walls, adorned with the Imperial family insignia in gold. It was a sight Minseok never tired from seeing.

 

"Minseok, let's go." Junmyeon told the priest, tugging at his robes to make him move, before stepping off the cart.

The other three trailed behind Junmyeon, who had been greeted with salutes and bows by the guards on duty; it was no secret that the General was respected, _adored_ , by the Imperial family and its army, much to the chagrin of many commoners, who saw it as a sign of weakness on the family's part.

He _was_ their weakness. No one batted an eye as he marched into the throne room without so much as a guard to stop him, or a lady in waiting to chastise him about his grimy clothes.

 

The Emperor sat on his throne, not showing a hint of surprise that Junmyeon had shown up.

"Your Majesty, pardon my forwardness, but I wish to see my son. I know he's here." Junmyeon kneeled, head raised, while the others followed suit.

 

"Junmyeon, your son has committed several crimes against the Empire, letting him go unpunished will only garner distrust from my subjects". The Emperor spoke, his tone neutral.

 

"Your Majesty, he's act-" Junmyeon began to protest, knowing that he was pushing his luck, despite what leniency the Imperial family gave him.

 

The Emperor raised his hand, signalling the man to withhold his words. "'He is actually the Sun Dragon's Channel', is what I presume you were going to say. Lady Taeyeon sensed it in him the minute he set foot in Eris, and so, I will pardon his crimes."

 

Junmyeon sighed in relief, but the Emperor continued to speak.

"On the condition that you return to the Imperial army, and your son works in my - the _Empire's_ \- interests."

 

The man could feel a sinking feeling in his stomach, a sense of dread swarming his mind.

 

"You know what will happen if you refuse, _General_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more member to go!


	9. The Boy

When Kyungsoo was a child, visiting the Imperial palace was usually the end goal of many of his dreams, whether it was to be knighted by the Emperor himself or to receive a medal of bravery from General Kim Junmyeon. While his eight year old self may not have appreciated the circumstances that allowed Kyungsoo entrance into the palace in the first place, the boy was still giddy from excitement at the thought of finally being able to see what he had only ever read about in books.

 

Chanyeol and Jongdae, despite their nervousness, shared the same sentiments as him; they had completely forgotten about being tied up the moment they saw the imposing white walls bearing the symbol of the kingdom.

 

Upon entering the palace, a woman with golden locks greeted them. The robe she wore was stitched with patterns of the moon and the sun in silver and golden threads respectively; when she walked, it looked as if the intricate design moved across her body, telling a story as the fabric shifted.

 

"Greetings, Kim Chanyeol." The robed woman bowed deeply, taking Chanyeol by surprise. "I am the Twelfth Court Mage, Lady Taeyeon."

 

"Oh, um, nice to meet you, Lady Taeyeon!" The boy bowed in response, albeit more hastily and without grace.

 

Taeyeon chuckled lightly, "I understand that this whole ordeal must be frightening for you, but you needn't worry. You are, after all, the Sun Dragon's Channel, am I correct?"

 

Kyungsoo and Jongdae looked at the boy in disbelief, unable to grasp how such a huge responsibility could fall into the hands of someone like _him_.

"I can feel you judging me." Chanyeol expressed his annoyance after glancing behind him to see the others' reactions. "And yes, I am, but how did you know? Do Court Mages just have a sixth sense for this sort of thing?"

 

"In essence, Court Mages do. It is our job to communicate with the Channel to ensure that they do not abuse their powers." Taeyeon answered his question, while gesturing the group to follow her further into the palace.

 

"But I don't understand, a Channel hasn't appeared in centuries, why now of all times? It's not like the war has worsened a great deal, and there have been plenty of disasters that the country has weathered through just fine." Jongdae interjected, seemingly disregarding all formalities, as they walked down the corridor.

 

"A Channel usually appears when a catastrophe is imminent." Taeyeon continued to speak, leading them into a living room the size of Jongdae's entire cottage. "'The Dragons' Sacrifice' by the First Court Mage mentioned this, recounting how Channels were a rare occurrence. In general, there have been few texts that survived the passage of time, but the First Court Mage is most definitely a credible source, so much so that many scholars have even deemed it counterintuitive to question him."

 

While the Court Mage briefly explained the history of the Channels, Chanyeol looked around the room, noticing portraits of his father in his military uniform hung on the walls, framed by the flag of the Imperial army; the man's expression was distant, almost hostile, enough to make Chanyeol doubt whether it really was him.

 

"…and you, boy, what is your name?" Taeyeon asked Kyungsoo, but Chanyeol had completely tuned out of the conversation - he _detested_ history lessons at school, he wasn't suddenly going to start to enjoy hearing about it now.

Chanyeol continued to look around, hearing Kyungsoo and Jongdae introduce themselves. One of the paintings, a large landscape filled with soldiers, had his father in the foreground with a torch in his hand, ready to set a pit of bodies alight. The boy remembered what his father had said to him during his awakening, making him wonder when, or why, he suddenly started showing remorse for his actions and why his son seemed to be lacking any.

 

"I've also sensed it in you, Kyungsoo. You…you're the Moon Dragon's Channel."

 

Chanyeol immediately returned to the conversation, watching his friend's eyes widen.

 

"Now hold on a minute, while it's great and all that Kyungsoo's a Channel, didn't the First Court Mage write about how disastrous it would be if two Channels met? They've been together for who knows how long now and the world hasn't imploded yet." Jongdae interrupted once again; he had been eyeing the woman with suspicion the moment he saw her. "I'm doubting this guy's credibility."

 

"His book was a _theoretical_ account, and while he did write those words with confidence and sufficient evidence to back most of his claims, there is a chance some details may be wrong or may have just been his opinion presented as fact." Taeyeon responded, cracks in her calm exterior forming.

 

"But you _just_ said that even scholars don't question him. Either _someone's_ been lying or-" Jongdae countered, noting the frown on the Court Mage's lips.

 

"Jongdae, you can argue with her later. Fact is, Kyungsoo is a Moon Dragon's Channel." Chanyeol halted their conversation, more interested in his friend having similar powers to him.

 

Kyungsoo remembered Jongin telling him extensively about Channels with fascination, and how he had hoped to be a hero just like a Channel. "Lady Taeyeon, you say that, but I haven't even awakened yet. I haven't 'breathed' the same way Chanyeol has. "

 

"Really?" The woman was unable to hide her surprise. "If anything, you've at least partially awakened. I can sense His soul bonded with yours, but if you still can't 'breathe', I can perform a formal awakening, if you would let me."

 

"If that isn't too much trouble." Kyungsoo bowed in gratitude, a gesture that was second nature to him.

 

Chanyeol, looking displeased, spoke up. "My awakening resulted in people dying and a monastery burning to the ground, what if something like that happens to Kyungsoo?"

 

"Perhaps the mage performing it was inexperienced, but I can assure you, other than the excruciating pain that Kyungsoo will feel, an awakening is perfectly safe." Taeyeon responded before ushering the group through a door leading to the palace gardens.

Chanyeol doubted that it was due to inexperience, as Father Minseok had numerous accolades for his work as a mage. It had to be something else.

 

After the preparations had been made, Kyungsoo stepped into the circle, unaware of the extent of the 'excruciating pain'.

The taller of the two watched, anxious and fearing for his friend's life.

As a deep, authoritative voice replaced Taeyeon's and the chanting had began, the boy fell to the floor, eliciting choked sounds from his mouth.

While he didn't scream or cry, his body trembled vigorously and his teeth were clenched tightly, framed by quivering lips.

It was the first time Chanyeol had seen him so helpless, but another part of him had wondered how Kyungsoo was able to withstand the agony; the boy knew what the pain was like, and it certainly was something no ordinary person could bear without wanting to tear their own bodies apart just to make the torment stop.

After a minute of the smaller boy convulsing on the floor, the light from the circle and the voice ceased.

 

"He's been awakened." Taeyeon announced breathlessly.

Jongdae and Chanyeol immediately helped the boy get up, wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead.

"The guards will take him to a guest's room to rest while I inform the Emperor of your arrival. Please, don't wander off, it is fairly easy to get lost in this palace." The Court Mage composed herself before walking away, leaving the trio in the company of the guards.

 

\---

 

 

"You know what will happen if you refuse, _General_."

Junmyeon knew all too well what would happen, there was a reason the Imperial family always kept him close; he had declined the offer to return years ago, not knowing that it would come back to haunt him this way.

 

"Then I guess there's nothing left to discuss." The General spoke, doing his best to conceal his bitterness. "I wish to see my son."

 

"Of course." The Emperor gestured at the guards to lead his guests away.

 

The group stayed hushed as the guards guided them to a guest bedroom in the east wing of the palace, not too far from where they had entered. Even the corridors where lavishly decorated, with streams of water speckled with rose petals running down the sides and statues of war heroes on display by the double doors, which had jewel inlays on the panelling .

The room they entered was no exception, with a four poster bed in the centre, on which lay a boy unfamiliar to Junmyeon. Seated beside him was Chanyeol along with a man who Junmyeon had been sure he had met before.

"Father!" Chanyeol ran up to him, embracing him tightly. "How did you know I was here? No, why are you here? No, I mean, are you okay, are you burnt?" He kept changing his question, unsure of which one was the most important.

 

Junmyeon laughed and ruffled the boy's hair, something which had missed doing. "I'm fine and all that matters is _you_ are safe."

 

Yixing, who had been standing at the back, peeked over their hands and noticed the boy on the bed. "Kyungsoo?"

Without a moment's hesitation, the merchant ran up to his son, who had lain unconscious since his awakening. After failing to wake him up, he turned to Jongdae, "What happened? Why is my son here?"

 

"Oh, you're Kyungsoo's father. He's fine, just went through his awakening - congratulations, by the way, he's the Moon Dragon's Channel." Jongdae replied a bit too casually, not realising that he had made the man's brain practically short-circuit.

 

"Yixing, why don't you sit down? This seems like a lot for you to handle." Junmyeon placed his hand on the man's shoulder, leading him to Chanyeol's empty seat. The merchant complied and sat down, before holding his son's hand in his own. "And Jongdae, good to see you again."

 

"General, you remembered a commoner like me." The man in question smirked. "I feel like treating you to dinner again for saving my life."

 

"Woah, father, when did this happen?" Chanyeol asked, interest piqued.

 

"A little over last year, it was during Lady Taeyeon's Mastery of the Arcane Arts ritual, which I had been invited to attend." Junmyeon began to explain. "I'm no mage, so I don't exactly know what went wrong, but one of her spells went loose and hit an inn. The one Jongdae happened to be working at."

 

"So he ran into the burning building and saved my life, basically." Jongdae finished his story off, then realised one small detail. "Lady Taeyeon? That stuck-up bitch almost killed me? How come I'm only hearing about this now?"

  
"Jongdae, she's hardly a stuck-up…point is, she's under a lot of pressure from the family and the mages of the kingdom. There's a reason why she might be a bit…cold sometimes." Junmyeon tried to reason with him. "She had already become the Court Mage when you came to, there was no point stirring up drama so early in her career."

 

"Fair enough, but you told me anyway." Jongdae rebutted.

 

"Who would the people most likely believe now, an ex-innkeeper or the Court Mage?" Chanyeol interjected, grinning at the sour look on the man's face. "So I guess now I know why you quit your job. It burnt down. And you just left - brutal, Jongdae, brutal."

 

Jongdae kicked the boy's shins from his seat, glaring at him to shut up.

 

Minseok turned to Baekhyun, who had been listening intently to the conversation, quite amused, and whispered in his ear. "Junmyeon's right about this whole Court Mage business, it's one hell of a stressful job. You up for it?"

The boy merely smiled smugly. "I'm no quitter, Minnie, you bet I'm up for it."

"Minnie?!" The priest exclaimed, fuming at the disrespect.

 

Before the man could strangle Baekhyun, Chanyeol squeezed them both in a giant bear hug, lifting them off the floor by a few inches, then put them back down immediately when it began to kill his muscles.

"How are my favourite tiny people?" Chanyeol teased, earning a punch from Baekhyun, who was having a hard time trying not to tear up after seeing his friend's face for the first time in three weeks.

 

"You just had to go and be the Sun Dragon's Channel and put us through this mess!" Baekhyun tried to sound angry, but ended up squeaking as held back his tears. "You idiot!" Giving in to his emotions, he hugged the taller boy, pulled back then kicked his other shin.

 

"Why my legs? Why is it always the legs?" Chanyeol crumpled to the floor dramatically, trying to rub the pain away.

 

Minseok bent down to Chanyeol's level, forming a ball of ice in both hands then held it against the boy's shins. "What's this I hear about a Moon Dragon's Channel?"

 

"About that, turns out the First Court Mage may have been wrong, and that the end of the world _won't_ come just because two Channels co-exist." Chanyeol briefly explained, relaxing his legs as the cold seeped into his skin. "Kyungsoo on the bed over there, he's the Moon Dragon's Channel."

 

Just as he finished his sentence, Taeyeon walked into the room, a tray of food and medicine in her hands.

"Oh my, you seem to have multiplied." She remarked, placing the tray on the bedside table. "And Chanyeol, may I ask why you are on the floor?"

 

"The pain just gets to me sometimes. Don't mind me." Chanyeol struggled to smile, motioning Minseok to withdraw the ice balls. "Is that medicine for Kyungsoo?"

 

"Yes, to ease the pain." Taeyeon stated, carefully lifting the boy's head up to then pour a thick green liquid into his mouth.

 

"That reminds me, Father Minseok here was the one who performed my awakening." Chanyeol pointed at the priest, who whacked him in return.

 

Slightly embarrassed at telling the Court Mage - of all people - about something that was potentially his mistake, the priest described the events at the monastery, hoping, as much as Chanyeol did, to find answers.

Unfortunately, Taeyeon hadn't a clue. "There have been no records of an awakening as disastrous as that one, and I'm sure priests who have had far less experience than you, Father, have performed the ritual before. The technique, from what you've told me, is no different from mine, so this is indeed a mystery."

 "Nonetheless, this will have to wait. You are free to go to the palace library in search of information, Father Minseok, but I must inform Chanyeol and Kyungsoo of their first duties as Channels." Taeyeon added on, giving Junmyeon a knowing look. " _In private_."

 

Taking it as their cue to leave, Junmyeon led a reluctant Yixing away from Kyungsoo followed by the rest of the growing group of men.

As the door clicked shut, Kyungsoo stirred in the bed, his eyes flickering open; he pushed against his elbow, groaning as he slowly sat up. Chanyeol slid his hand behind the boy's back, helping him get into a comfortable position.

"I apologise for the hastiness, but the Emperor was adamant on having this duty fulfilled." Taeyeon, who was genuinely apologetic, gave Chanyeol some ointment to rub on Kyungsoo's sore neck while she gently instructed the bed-ridden boy to drink some more medicine.

 

While Chanyeol applied the ointment, Taeyeon briefed them, "It is the rite of passage for all Channels in order to fully ascend to their position by the Emperor's side, similarly to me. You must both travel to the point closest to the Dragons - the highest peak, Mt. Stella - and contact the Dragons, using the chant written on this scroll." She pulled out a small roll of paper, then passed it to Chanyeol. "The Dragons will deliver a message, speaking of your purpose on this world, which you must relay back to the Emperor. Understood?"

 

Chanyeol nodded, having little time to contemplate his decision as guards began to file into the room.

"These men will escort you to Mt. Stella, which is only a three hour carriage journey away. I expect to see you both tonight, as the Emperor hasn't given me anymore details other than what I've told you."

With that, the Court Mage left the room without waiting for another response from the pair.

 

"Kyungsoo, can you move? We need to go, I know you're in pain, but the Emperor… who knows what they'll do if we don’t go." Chanyeol placed a consolatory hand on the boy's shoulder. "Soo?"

 

"We can't keep them waiting then." Kyungsoo smiled weakly. He wrapped his arm around Chanyeol's neck for support as he lifted himself off the bed. "What's a carriage when we have a phoenix?"

 

"Are you sure?" Chanyeol looked at him worriedly, but Kyungsoo gave him a dismissive nod.

 

"My limbs might be sore, but my powers are more than fine."

 

"Channels, the carriage awaits you outs-"

Before the guard could finish, Chanyeol quickly led Kyungsoo out on to the balcony by the latter's request.

 

The Moon Dragon's Channel took in a deep breath and _blew._

 

From his mouth, a thick silvery fog tumbled down to his feet, languid and calm. It trickled down on to the floor, lacking the characteristic ferocity that Chanyeol's 'breath' had, and circled the two boys.

The taller of the two watched in anticipation, heart thumping as the guards drew closer.

 

"Tell Lady Taeyeon that we'll see her tonight-" Kyungsoo spoke, before pushing his open hands towards the marble floor beneath him, the power rippling through his muscles and down to his fingertips.

 

Tendrils of fog rose from the circle, controlled by Kyungsoo like puppet strings; they eventually grew in size by his will, then solidified into spikes that pointed outwards towards the guards.

 

"-So I suggest you stay where you are, unless you _want_ to be impaled."

 

Chanyeol had created his fire phoenix behind the boy in the mean time; once Kyungsoo had made the shield, he grabbed the boy by the waist and climbed on to its back.

 

As the phoenix took flight, Kyungsoo drew the fog back, allowing it to settle in his hands.

 

"You having fun there?" Chanyeol asked the boy who had become engrossed in his new ability, laughing at how he nodded eagerly.

 

"I think…there's something I want to try. Bear with me." Kyungsoo clambered over to the head of the bird, and held the fog over it's eyes.

In a matter of seconds, the white mist seeped into the phoenix's body, turning it a translucent silver; instead of flames, wisps of smoke trailed from its feathers.

 

"Do you have s-"

 

" _Wait._ "

 

Kyungsoo lifted a finger towards the direction of Mt. Stella, a location he often visited with the village elder to gather herbs, and flicked the air.  The boundaries of the phoenix's body shifted, partially becoming a white haze.

 

"Soo, what the hell…?" Chanyeol began to speak, but suddenly lurched forward as the bird picked up speed.

 

"Hold on tight!" Kyungsoo called out to him, then clung on to the neck of the bird. The taller of the two, unsure of _what_ he could possibly hold on to, quickly shifted over to the other boy and wrapped his arms tightly around his waist.

Before Kyungsoo could complain, the phoenix bolted through the sky, cutting the air at an impressive speed.

 

What was meant to be a three hour journey took the boys fifteen minutes by phoenix.

The bird landed on Mt. Stella's summit, which was a relatively small, flat area covered in plants and with the slightest dusting of snowfall. In the centre, a stone circle engraved with images of the Sun and Moon Dragon lay embedded into the ground.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo climbed off the phoenix, the wind knocked out of them and hair in a frazzled state; the first thing to catch their eye was a boy, most likely a few years younger than them, picking herbs and flowers from the plants peppered on the summit floor.

 

"Nice bird you've got there." The boy, with blonde hair and an indifferent expression on his face, complimented the two. He walked up to the older boys, wicker basket of flora slung on the crook of his elbow.

 

"I thought you would be a bit freaked out, but thanks." Chanyeol beamed, then willed the phoenix to dematerialize. "I guess magic just isn't that interesting anymore."

 

"No, no…it's cool." The boy responded, his tone unconvincingly monotonous.

 

"Really? You seem _very_ impressed." Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow. Upon a closer look at the boy's face, he couldn't help but feel like he had seen him before.

 

"What's your name?" Chanyeol asked, taking a look at the scenery around him.

 

"Sehun." He replied curtly. "Before you ask, I'm gathering medicinal supplies for my pa - he's a herbalist, in case you were wondering, but you probably weren't."

 

"Right, Sehun, we're just going to perform a little ritual here, so it might be best for you to stay out of the way. Wouldn't want to see you getting hurt." Chanyeol tried to usher him away, but he refused to move.

 

"I want to watch." Sehun protested, but seemed to lack any indignation in his voice.

The older boys exchanged looks, and sighed. "I don't see why the ritual would be dangerous, let's just leave him be." Kyungsoo gave in, glancing at the boy who looked perpetually bored.

 

Chanyeol sauntered into the centre, having gotten used to the inevitable link between magic and circles. "It's always circles, never squares or triangles." He muttered as he unrolled the scroll. "Soo, I think we read this together, come here."

Kyungsoo did as he was told, while keeping a careful eye on Sehun, who began idly chewing on a herb, looking unimpressed by the other two.

The two read out the contents in unison, expecting to hear the Dragons that gave them life, but were only met with silence once they had finished. After several more attempts, no communication had been established, leaving the pair disappointed and rather flustered as they realised how incredibly stupid they sounded.

 

Sehun gave them a slow clap, whooping condescendingly. "Impressive!"

Dejected and still out of it after the phoenix ride, Kyungsoo didn't have the energy to scold the boy, instead choosing to lie on the ground in exhaustion.

Chanyeol sat beside him, rubbing his eyes and sighing in defeating.

 

"Our first duty as Channels and we can't even _talk_ to the very Dragons that we're meant to have some bloody spiritual connection with!" The taller of the two exploded, having come to terms with that fact that nothing would ever go right for him.

 

"Let's just go back to the capital, I'm sure Lady Taeyeon will understand." Kyungsoo got back on his feet, hooking his arms under Chanyeol's arm pits to pick the taller boy up. After Chanyeol flailed around for half a second and awkwardly tried to regain his balance, Kyungsoo gave up and dropped him to the floor. "Get up yourself, you big-eared giant."

 

"You know you love me, Soo, admit it." Chanyeol teased, ignoring the stones digging into his spine.

 

"Just make your damn phoenix already."

 

After Chanyeol summoned the bird, Sehun -  who had given up on picking anymore herbs and flowers - approached the two. "Can I come? My pa's away on a trip, so it's just me. I've always wanted to see the capital."

 

"Didn't your pa ever tell you not to talk to strangers? We could have kidnapped you for all you know." Chanyeol answered, exasperated by the boy's audacity in pretty much everything he had said the moment they met.

 

"It's not a kidnapping if you just return me the next day." Sehun shrugged, before climbing on to the bird's back. He looked at the other two dumbfounded boys blankly, expecting them to join him. "What are you waiting for? Let's go, I haven't got all day, y'know."

 

"I'm just as against this as you are, Chanyeol, but seeing as it only takes as at least fifteen minutes to get to the capital, it honestly should be fine." Kyungsoo whispered to his friend, who had leaned in closer to allow the boy to better reach his ears. "And I fear for that boy's safety, he doesn't even know how kidnappings work."

 

"Fine, but you're babysitting him, not me."

 

They flew back to the capital, even more surprised at how unaffected Sehun was by the lightning fast speeds they were travelling at.

 

\---

 

In the palace library, Minseok had been accompanied by Jongdae, who wanted to read up on spirits, and Baekhyun, who just wanted to bother the priest. Junmyeon had encouraged Yixing to go with him to a nearby pub, as thanks for the cart ride, leaving the other three behind.

 

Inside, the trio had sat on the first floor by the ceiling-high windows, which had a clear view of the floating gardens as well as the eastern sector of Eris beneath. Light spilled into the room, illuminating the book shelves and desks in a brilliant glow; Minseok had been pleased at how well maintained the library was, seeing as not a single book was out of place and neatly lined up in alphabetical order.

 

"Jongdae, why do you want to read about spirits? Didn't think you were the type to be interested in the supernatural." Baekhyun asked the man while he slumped over the desk, resting his chin on his crossed arms.

 

"Sounds crazy, but I think I've been cursed. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo tried to help me by burning down my inn, but that didn't work." Jongdae sighed, absentmindedly flicking through the pages of a book titled 'Exorcisms'.

 

"Chanyeol seems to be on a streak nowadays, the monastery, the plaza, now an inn." Minseok shook his hand.

 

"Hey, the monastery wasn't _entirely_ his fault." Baekhyun threw the priest a look.

 

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I shouldn’t have performed the ritual there." The priest murmured while picking up another book from a stack beside him; the guilt had been weighing down on his mind for some time, since he felt like the boy shouldn't have gone through all of that just because of a mistake on his part.

 

"He only burnt down that inn because I asked him to. We were all petrified after seeing that _thing_ , it seemed like the only option at the time." Jongdae confessed, eventually closing his book when it dawned on him that he couldn't care less about exorcisms.

 

"Care to elaborate?" Minseok asked, finding it hard to pay attention to the words in front of him.

 

Jongdae described the events at his inn and the demonic spirit in detail, leaving Baekhyun quaking in his boots and Minseok even more fascinated.

 

"I can draw the spirit of you, and then we'd be able to deal with it. I'd have to ask Lady Taeyeon first, but it doesn't seem like she'd mind." The priest suggested, amused by how quiet Baekhyun had become.

 

"Oh no no no no no _no_. Dear god, _NO_." Baekhyun refused the suggestion; he detested the idea of seeing the monstrosity that Jongdae illustrated.

 

"Baekhyun this isn't about you. You don't have to be here and if you're so scared, why don't you just go drink with Junmyeon? Or wait until Chanyeol gets back from his mission and hang out with him?" Minseok sighed, regretting that he didn't persuade the General to take the boy with him.

 

"Now that I _know_ something like that spirit exists, I have to see it for myself so I know where it's lurking. Or else it might take me by surprise." Baekhyun explained matter-of-factly.

 

"So you want to see the spirit because you _don't_   want to see the spirit? How does that even make sense in that weird little brain of yours?" Minseok tried to understand the boy's words, only leaving him confused.

 

"My logic is superior, Minseok, don't question me." Baekhyun huffed. "Plus, I want to see my future predecessor."

 

"I'm completely okay with this, why don't you lead the way Father Minseok." Jongdae chuckled, rising up from his chair.

 

"Please, Minseok is just fine." The priest smiled, also preparing to leave.

 

" _OH_. I see how it is." Baekhyun scowled, scraping his chair against the floor as he untucked it out of annoyance.

 

\---

 

 

Sehun stepped off the bird and on to the balcony of the guest bedroom Kyungsoo slept in, snickering at how the older boys staggered about, trying to regain their senses.

"What are people feeding their children nowadays?" Chanyeol groaned, trying his best not to vomit. "How on Earth are you not affected by this, Sehun?"

"Perhaps you're just weak, Chanyeol." Sehun hummed dismissively as he sat on the bed, observing the entirety of the room.

 

Guards entered the room with the Court Mage leading them; her expression was neutral, even after seeing the boys' new guest.

"Your guest can stay here, but I must take you to the Emperor." Taeyeon gestured them to follow her, then ordered the guards to watch Sehun. "And don't you  _ever_ pull a stunt like that again without my permission."

 

After hastily being led down the same corridor, unable to speak a even word about the events on the summit, they eventually reached the throne room, the Emperor seated with his wife beside him.

Upon seeing the Court Mage and the two boys, he stood up, an expression of disbelief on his face.

 

"What is the meaning of this, Lady Taeyeon?" His voice commanded authority, but was tinted with anger.

 

"Whatever do you mean, sire? I did as you asked of me." Taeyeon asked, confused by the Emperor's outburst. "They're here to relay the message of the Dragons."

 

"Pardon my rudeness, Your Majesty, but we were unable to communicate with the Dragons. My companion and I tried several times, but to no avail." Kyungsoo explained, bowing deeply in hopes of quelling the Emperor's rage, the cause of which was unknown to both him and Chanyeol.

 

The Emperor ruminated over their appearance for a few seconds, staring intently at the two with dissatisfaction. "…I see. Rest for the evening while my ministers and I discuss this matter. Lady Taeyeon, I expect you to join."

 

Feeling as if they were running in circles, the pair returned to the guest bedroom to find Minseok, Baekhyun, Jongdae and Sehun engaged in a conversation.

"Baek, where's my father?" Chanyeol asked his friend as they entered the room.

 

"Drinking with that guy's father." The boy pointed at Kyungsoo.

 

"My father was here?" Kyungsoo questioned him with scepticism. "I…I need to see him."

 

"You sure about that? Both of you look dead tired, and it's not like he's going anywhere, so why don't you just sleep?" Baekhyun suggested, walking up to the boy to then compare heights. "Oh, wow, you're shorter than me. Hell, I think you're shorter than Minseok."

 

Chanyeol whacked Baekhyun playfully over the head and pulled him away from Kyungsoo. "And you look like the living dead, Baek, why don't you sleep?" The two laughed, enjoying each other's company after so long.

Kyungsoo felt a pang of jealousy, seeing the two smiling so happily. It dawned on him that those two were best friends, something that Kyungsoo never had before; Jongin had only ever been his owner's son, and despite how much he adored the boy, he didn't feel close to him as friends should have. If anything, he wanted to laugh with Chanyeol as Baekhyun did, to be able to share inside jokes and to reminisce about the past.

 

"…by the way, that guy is Kyungsoo, if you weren't paying attention earlier. He's saved my life and, unlike _you_ , he's a friend that actually seems to care that I almost died." Chanyeol poked Baekhyun's forehead backwards, stopping the boy from hitting him back.

 

"I do care. I'm just too self-absorbed to care more than I deem necessary, which isn’t a lot to be honest." Baekhyun shrugged.

 

"Your words, not mine, Baek." Chanyeol grinned, flicking the boy's head as he withdrew his index finger.

 

Sehun, who was seated on the sofa, watched Minseok and Jongdae talk quietly amongst themselves, away from the much louder trio.

 

"We'll talk to her tomorrow. Want to room together?" Jongdae offered.

 

"Yes, that would be good. As long as I'm far away from Baekhyun, I don't think I could complain." Minseok smiled, relishing the fact that someone actually respected him and wasn't screaming in his face all the time.

 

After sleeping arrangements had been made, they all decided to separate to the guest rooms provided by the request of the General earlier that day. Minseok and Jongdae were to share a room, Baekhyun with Yixing and Junmyeon -  if and when they returned from the pub - and Kyungsoo with Chanyeol, along with Sehun, who they refused to allow to wander off elsewhere.

 

Once the older boys had settled on the bed and Sehun on the sofa after losing a round of rock, paper, scissors, they began discussing the events at Mt. Stella and the Emperor's anger.

It was almost midnight, and Kyungsoo had been lulled into a state between consciousness and unconsciousness, knackered but not yet ready to sleep.

 

"I wonder why he was so mad when he saw us. He acted like we kicked him in the face." Chanyeol groggily asked, his body clung on to Kyungsoo's like a child and their teddy bear. Kyungsoo had learnt to accept Chanyeol's affections without feeling so flustered, and had even begun reciprocating them through small touches and brief hugs.

 

"Mmm, probably pissed that we threatened his guards." Kyungsoo chuckled lightly, deciding to rest his head against Chanyeol's.

 

"Might be to do with the ritual." Sehun chimed in, not showing even a shred of tiredness.

 

"But he was already angry before we even managed to explain ourselves!" Chanyeol huffed.

 

"No, I mean during the ritual, not after." The boy spoke in an ambiguous tone, shifting on the sofa to face the ceiling. "He's angry because the both of you were supposed to die."

 

 


	10. Give and Take

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is basically a Q&A with Sehun, disguised as story time - sorry it's so short :(  
> Warnings: graphic depictions of death (depending on your definition of graphic) and violence

"He's angry because the both of you were supposed to die." Sehun faked a yawn and threw the blanket over his head. "Good night!"

 

"What do you mean good night?! You can't just tell us that without an explanation!" Chanyeol sat up, accidental pressing his entire weight against Kyungsoo's stomach with his arm.

 

"Argh, Chanyeol _get off_ , my insides are being crushed." Kyungsoo squirmed, trying to get the boy's hand off him before his organs were flattened. Chanyeol, realising how he was struggling, quickly removed himself from the smaller boy. "And he's right Sehun, we deserve an explanation."

 

"Hmm, are you sure about that, children?" A voice, low and resonant, came from Sehun's mouth. "I do suppose now is the best time."

A thin green mist, speckled with minuscule golden lights, slid down the boy's lips, slowly engulfing everything in its vicinity.

 

"Sehun, what's the meaning of this? You can't have the Dragon's Breath, can you? There can't possibly be _three_ Channels." Kyungsoo questioned Sehun, whose eyes were looking off in the distance, a murky brown colour akin to that of the earth's.

 

"If you will listen patiently, children, and hear the story of my kind, everything will be made clear in due time." The boy answered, body still as a rock.

 

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo glanced at each other, made an unspoken agreement and sat in silence as Sehun began his tale.

\---

 

 

 

 

Alongside this realm exists many, some intertwined, some parallel and never meeting.

The realm of the Dragons, the Dracones, was one that determined the fate of the realm of man, the Coelestia.

As the rebirth of the Coelestia and the death of the Dracones drew closer, an Overseer was to be elected, who would forge the new realm of man from the bodies and souls of his brethren, from which would thrive the energy required for the new realm of Dragons.

It was two millennia ago when the darkness had spread across the skies, enveloping the splendour of the Dragons' domain in a black light.

 

"Father, you must realise that I am more fit to be the Overseer than either of my brothers. My strength is unmatched, the world I would create would never be short of the fit and the healthy - they would be left wanting for nothing!" Sol, the eldest Dragon, had tried to convince his father, the current Overseer.

 

"Yes, my son, but your arrogance would only lead to a realm filled with selfishness." He responded, carefully watching the darkness seeping through the skies. "The Children of Man cannot grow to be as narcissistic as you. I will not allow it."

 

Sol scowled, noting how much more unrelenting his father was with his words in the knowledge that their physical forms would soon disappear.

 

"That fool is nothing when compared to me, father." Luna, the second eldest, spoke. "My intelligence would produce geniuses, achieving a level of knowledge that Sol could only ever dream of."

 

"Luna, you lack warmth which your brothers possess. The realm you create will be cold. Cunning. No Child of Man would feel a connection with others, no _love._ " The Overseer sighed. "I have already decided that your youngest brother, Terra, is the most qualified, and it would gladden me so if you could accept him with open arms."

 

Terra, who had watched the exchange in silence, bowed down to his father and elder brothers, the latter of which sneered with disdain.

"I will do my best to make you proud." He smiled, allowing the Overseer to pass on his abilities by giving the elder entrance to his mind.

 

"This is an outrage, I refuse to accept that coward. He has taken what rightfully belongs to me!" Sol fumed with rage, drawing in a last breath as the world around him dematerialised.

 

"Don't think you can take the powers by yourself, Sol." Luna had also drawn in a breath, ready to strike the final blow on Terra.

 

"Stop this instant-" Their father tried to intervene, but had fragmented into the all-consuming darkness before he could.

 

In the spur of the moment, Terra unleashed his powers as the Overseer to confine his brothers in a perpetual state of sleep. In doing so, he sacrificed his own body, to not only defend himself, but to secure the future existence of the Coelestia. _His_ Coelestia.

What was left of his soul formed the new universe.

To seal his brothers, he had transformed their bodies and slumbering souls into the sun and moon. His own soul, now tired and weakened without the physical form that he had been allowed possession of by right as an Overseer, settled into a much cruder shape.

Terra had created the Earth from himself, not knowing that the Children of Man who he sacrificed so much for would trample and use him with little care, while so dearly worshipping the brothers that tried to ruin them.

\---

 

 

A hurried knock sounded on the door.

The green mist withdrew back into Sehun's mouth and the boy flopped on to the sofa, fast asleep.

 

"Come in!" Chanyeol called out.

 

The door opened, revealing Taeyeon still in her robe but discomposed and hands trembling slightly. She quickly walked up to the boys, and in the light of the moon, they could see that her eyes were red and puffy.

 

"Both of you, you need to leave immediately with your companions. I can't protect you anymore." She was shaking, consumed with fear. "Th-they're going to kill you. You need to go. Go gather the others and travel as far away as you can from this city."

Without waiting for their response, she left their room, the threads of her robe glistening in the light as she ran.

 

"I suggest you do as she says." Sehun murmured, voice muffled by his blanket.

 

"I've had enough of this whole bloody city." Kyungsoo groaned, jumping off the bed to pick up his satchel while Chanyeol slung a groggy Sehun over his shoulder.

 

"Why do you think she looked so…disturbed?" Chanyeol asked his companion out of concern, but had been met with a confused shrug.

 

In the distance, they heard the reverberations of heavy footsteps and the clanging of metal followed by the shouts of what sounded like the palace guards. "Find them, and take them, _dead or alive_." One man ordered, sending shots of adrenaline pumping through the boys' blood.

 

"Fuck, we need to hurry." Chanyeol whispered, leading the other boy out of the room.

 

Crouched in the shadows, they hastily made their way to the others.

 

Minseok and Jongdae had been in the neighbouring room, while the other three were two doors away.

When they first picked up their neighbours, the boys had noticed how awfully close the two had gotten, but dismissed it because it certainly wasn't the right time for questions; the men merely went along with the flow, knowing that any attempt at getting answers was futile.

The six burst into the final room, which had Baekhyun sprawled on the bed, while the other two men slept on separate sofas. Not stopping to explain, Chanyeol opened the balcony doors and summoned his phoenix, the biggest that he could muster at such an ungodly hour in the night.

Kyungsoo harried their companions on to the bird's back, noticing his father amongst the rabble.

Briefly forgetting what their current situation was, he hugged the man with the resolve to never let go again.

 

"Kyungsoo, we've got to move, come on." Chanyeol shouted from the back of his phoenix.

As the boy pulled away, his father kissed him on the forehead. "I'm staying here. I need to help Junmyeon, to help _you_."

 

His son stared up at him, feeling as if a knife had been plunged into his heart; the reunion he had hoped for never seemed to come - it was always in the right place, at the wrong time.

 

"No, don't even _think_ about doing that. You don't need to stay, the _both_ of you don't need to stay. Just come with us." Kyungsoo pleaded, hands gripping the fabric of his father's shirt.

 

Chanyeol, who had heard the exchange, climbed off the bird. His father was at the doorway, looking at him with sorrowful eyes.

The boy knew that look all too well; it was the unspoken answer to the recurring question he asked as a child: "Are you leaving again?". He dreaded seeing those eyes, as much as he dreaded the loneliness that would follow.

"I'm sorry, Chanyeol, we decided this earlier. While I may not know all the details of a Channel's purpose, I can't let the Emperor have you. I can't let him do to you what he did to me. Yixing and I… there's something we can do to help." Junmyeon spoke softly, watching with a heavy heart as his son's face fell. "Baekhyun, do as I asked of you."

 

Baekhyun, who had been sitting on the bird in nervous anticipation, stepped on to the centre of the balcony.

"Yes sir." The boy nodded before quickly chanting a spell.

In a flash of light, they disappeared, leaving the two fathers behind.

\---

 

 

 

 

The group landed on the scorched grass of a familiar location; they were on the outskirts of Duras, in the ruins of the monastery, as Minseok soon realised after seeing the remains of his altar amongst the blackened rubble.

 

Kyungsoo leapt on Baekhyun, pinning him to the floor and straddling his body. He punched the light wielder's face without hesitation, delivering several to the jaw, nose and eyes, before strangling him in a titan grip.

"Fuck you, fuck you, _fuck you._ " The Channel screamed, tears of anger and misery streaming down his face, punctuating each syllable with an even tighter grasp on the boy's neck. Blood trickled in copious amounts from Baekhyun's nose and bruises started to form on his once immaculate skin; he tried to tell him to stop, but the only sounds coming out his mouth were desperate gasps of air.

 

Chanyeol quickly wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo's waist and pulled him back, freeing Baekhyun from his grip.

Baekhyun rolled over to his side, hacking and trying to regain his breath; he rubbed the sore mark on his neck, and scowled at Kyungsoo. "I saved your life, you psychopathic bastard! You should be _thanking_ me." He spluttered between coughs.

 

"Kyungsoo, I know you're angry, but you shouldn't have done that. That wasn't right." Chanyeol reproached the smaller boy. As Kyungsoo looked up at him to protest, he saw the tears beginning to form in his friend's eyes and was immediately pacified. At that moment, he felt like an ass for hurting someone who really _did_ save his life, even if it meant putting his father in danger.

 

"Baekhyun…I'm sorry. I-I..it…sorry." Kyungsoo mumbled and inwardly winced at the sight of Baekhyun's wounds; the light wielder scoffed, blotting his torn lip with the sleeve of his shirt.

 

"What the hell is wrong with all of you? What's going on?" Jongdae, having witnessed the entire ordeal without a single clue as to what was going, finally cut in. Everything around him was unfamiliar, and he hardly even knew the people that he had travelled hundreds of miles with.

 

"Sorry for dragging you into all of this Jongdae. You can stay in Duras with me while we sort everything out." Minseok placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Baekhyun, go home and see your parents. They must be worried sick about you. Chanyeol, take Kyungsoo and that sleeping boy to your house. We'll discuss this tomorrow."

 

The trio did as they were told and separated from the two men.

Chanyeol carried Sehun on his back, walking between Kyungsoo and Baekhyun to stop another argument igniting. The road to Duras was silent and illuminated by Baekhyun's light; fireflies danced around them, in the trees and in the shrubs, they were everywhere, entranced by the ball of light.

Not a single word was spoken until they reached the town. Thankfully for Chanyeol, the streets were quiet as the residents were asleep, unaware that the murderer who killed their loved ones was walking just outside their windows.

Baekhyun went inside his house first, glaring at Kyungsoo before he stepped in; the light from his home made the dried blood and black eye all that much clearer.

Chanyeol led Kyungsoo inside his house, not wanting to start anything with either of his friends.

The taller of the two set Sehun down on his sofa, and looked around his home. The familiar smell, the same layers of dust that his father always forwent cleaning, and the sense that he belonged. It only made the unease in his chest grow - his father was in danger _, again_ , and it was his fault _, again_.

Sehun sat up, not looking in the least like he had been sleeping, and the green mist from his mouth emerged.

 

"I suppose you're either Terra or some omnipresent being that happens to know about the Dracones." Kyungsoo wrapped the blanket given to him by Chanyeol tighter around his body, watching the vibrant tendrils fall out of the boy's mouth. "Or some brat with an imagination."

 

"I am Terra, and I do not take kindly to being called a brat. But nonetheless, there is more that I must say." The voice resounded around the room. " This time about your namesake, Chanyeol."

 

"The First Court Mage?...continue then." Chanyeol muttered, leaning further into his father's armchair.

\---

 

"Magic", as the Children of Man call it, had not always existed.

 

Four centuries ago, Lee Chanyeol, a skilled but unsuccessful writer, was born into a family of farmers. They had taunted him for his choice of career, wondering why he would pursue such a hobby so determinedly to then not have a single penny to his name.

It was impractical, they would say, he was a disappointment, they would say.

Why couldn't he be like his sister? They would say.

Lee Yoora was everything Chanyeol was not: she had the adoration of many, not a single person didn't know her name, and her family gave her the care and attention Chanyeol never had.

The man knew the reason - it was because she was the Moon Dragon's Channel.

He always had an inkling, seeing as his parents would call her a "miracle child", having been a stillbirth that suddenly breathed when all hope had been lost.

When they were five, she would bend the water at her will, which thrilled the boy; he was proud of her, as much as his parents were, and wanted nothing but the best for her.

But they grew up, and Chanyeol's resentment for his sister heightened; it twisted him, turned him hateful and envious of her abilities. The last straw was when Yoora awakened, and everyone forgot that he had even existed; they practically worshipped the ground she walked on while scorning the air he breathed.

 

It was on one fateful day that the course of history changed.

Yoora opened the door to her younger brother's study, a tray of food in her hands which she had prepared with care, as she had always done even before becoming a Channel.

 

"Chanyeol?" She spoke in a hushed voice, careful not to disturb his concentration. "I have your supper here, you really must eat."

 

Without turning around from his seat, he waved a hand, gesturing her to leave, and continued to write.

 

"Chanyeol, don't be like this. Why must you starve yourself?" Worried, Yoora approached Chanyeol and set the tray down on his desk. When she received no reply, she plucked the fountain pen from Chanyeol's hand and stepped back.

 

The man swerved around immediately to look at her, face red with anger. " _Leave._ " He seethed, snatching the pen from her fingers whilst accidentally scratching her skin.

 

Yoora hissed in pain, drawing back her hand to tend to the fresh wound, which was now dripping with blood. "I'll leave once you talk to me again. Talk to me about why you've been acting like this. I've been worried sick about you." She looked at him with troubled eyes, silently urging him to stop his nonsense. "What's wrong, Chanyeol? Just tell me."

 

Chanyeol's gaze flickered between the bleeding cut and his sister's face, a knot forming in his stomach.

He wondered time and time again why she would be so kind to a failure like him.

Why she uttered her words with a sickening sweetness.

Why she saw him, pitied him, like he was helpless.

Why she even gave her time to him.

Why she loved him.

 

_Because she looked down on him._

Those questions swarmed his mind, mocked him with revulsion; it had eaten away at him, little by little, until he was nothing but a husk of self-loathing and _hatred_ for his sister.

 

"I won't say it again, Yoora. Leave." His voice was frighteningly low, laced with venom and hinted at a threat.

His sister thought nothing of it, chalking it up to his usual behaviour whenever they had a disagreement.

When she just shook her head, Chanyeol swiftly stood up and edged closer, pen tightly in his fist.

 

"What are--You're scaring me, stop it." Yoora stepped back, hands pushing against his chest. "Cha-"

 

Without hesitation, he pierced her throat with his pen, the blood spurting out in a crimson red arc. He continued to stab her with unrestrained force, and in a matter of seconds, Yoora lay dead on the floor of his study.

Even after seeing the woman that cared for him, gave him unconditional love and never said anything otherwise, the man felt nothing for her. Those memories together that she had treasured so fondly were gone, lost in her brother's hatred.

 

It was not the nature of the murder, but the consequence of a Channel's unnatural death that sent tidal waves of change rippling through the earth.

The soul fragment taken from Luna's soul had a lingering energy, now broken and twisted into an impure form that could no longer be directed into the earth.

Instead, it spread like a river flowing from its source, and in doing so, it could be manipulated by the Children of Man.

 

Chanyeol, after throwing her sister's body into the river, later found that he could bend water as Yoora could.

Though shocked, an idea had been triggered inside his head.

 

For the fame and glory that the young writer had always wanted, he delivered news of his discovery - omitting the murder of the Channel - to the King, who had heard similar incidents from across the Imperial kingdom.

Taking a risk, he confided in the ruler of the outcome of his sister's death; rather than being punished, the man was revered by the King, who chose to work more closely with the writer, seeing as the abilities that the man had induced the creation of would prove to be beneficial to the longevity of the kingdom.

 

After years of conducting research into the land enriched with the Dragon's energy, a plan was formulated, wherein all documents and texts relating to the previous Channels would be destroyed, save for a few that aligned with the King's agenda. Chanyeol was appointed as the First Court Mage, and in an attempt to indoctrinate the people, all the while making his writing more widely known, he essentially rewrote history, the most famous of his published works being "The Dragons' Sacrifice".

 

In the span of a decade, the Imperial kingdom was ready to set the King's plan into motion - the expansion of an empire.

The goal of which was not to provide more land for a growing population - the reason on every commoner's lips - but to claim the magic-enriched earth that had spread far beyond the kingdom's borders, which dozens of Channels had their lives sacrificed for on Mt. Stella to maintain the flow of energy. To keep the magic alive and pulsing through the veins of the Children of Man that could utilise it.

\---

 

 

"Well, Chanyeol was an asshole." Kyungsoo remarked from the comfort of his blanket cocoon.

 

"I would feel offended, but damn, Chanyeol _was_ an asshole." Chanyeol affirmed, arms crossed in annoyance. "His family too, and that king, _and_ Sol and Luna. Why is everyone so shitty?"

 

The fog had settled, lingering at the bases of their feet, at the centre of which was Sehun, seated with an unreadable expression.

"You have yet to fully grasp the extent of the "shittiness" of the Children of Man." Sehun spoke in a tone rising with a certain frustration. "Not only did they kill Channels for _four_ centuries, but they have strengthened my brothers as a result."

 

"How so? I get that the Emperor wants us dead to keep the country all magical and happy, but all of this stuff with your brothers just seems so…weird." Chanyeol asked, unconsciously fiddling with the tassels of the seat pillow. "Why are we using their powers? Why are their souls inside us? None of this makes sense."

 

"Non-asshole Chanyeol is right. If you hate your brothers so much, why not just direct _all_ their energy to yourself and have away with them?" Kyungsoo chimed in, avoiding the smug grin on Chanyeol's face. He could practically here him saying _You loooove me._

 

"'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer' is a saying I'm sure both of you are familiar with." Sehun responded. "To put it in short, I don’t have the ability to transfer all my brothers' energy to myself. As I've already said, my soul is weak."

 

The boy stood up and from his hands, a scene of two sleeping entities formed in the green mist that rose from his palms.

 

A small fragment, minute and almost invisible, broke from one by a flick of Sehun's finger.

"However, I do have control over them, for I am still the Overseer of this Coelestia." He spoke with passion, completely unlike his usual demeanour.

 

The mist shifted, showing the speck transferring itself into a humanoid shape, which then, in a small burst of light, began 'breathing' in the same way Chanyeol and Kyungsoo had.

Beside the humanoid, the entity grew ever so slightly smaller with every 'breath'.

 

"This was how it was meant to be. This was the Channel's purpose  - to deplete my brothers' energy and allow it to dissipate far out of their reach, becoming useless to them." Sehun frowned. "But you Children of Man… you tore my plan asunder."

 

In anger, the boy crushed the mist in his fists. "Were it not for your priests and their so-called 'balancing' of powers which only helped Sol and Luna regain power, or that rotten First Court Mage that called for the genocide of my Channels, my brothers would have been gone from existence. But instead, their energy is returning, and they are getting stronger. Too strong for me to control." His voice was unstable, trembling with fury.

 

"Sehun, calm down!" Kyungsoo tried to quell the boy's rage, which had caused the foundations of the house to shake. Dust from the beams and flecks of plaster fell from the ceiling, skittering about as the floor beneath vibrated.

 

" _I will not calm down, child._ " The boy roared, the mist now a sea of emerald, spilling into every nook and cranny. " _Both_ of you are a constant reminder that I am weak and they are strong. This was not how you were meant to be. This realm entrusted to me by my father…I will not let them take it."

 

Chanyeol slapped Sehun across the face, the tears in the boy's eyes rolling down his cheeks. "Neither of us want that. We want to help you, but we can't do that if we're crushed under my house. So, calm down." He said softly, noticing how much more helpless the boy looked. In his eyes, Terra was nothing more than a child trying to protect what he loved with what little he had. Despite how unfazed he seemed to be by everything, he had a desire to please others, just like any other being, Dragon or not.

 

Sehun quickly wiped the tears from his eyes, doing his best to regain his composure. "I still tried, however, despite the endless killings. Kyungsoo was meant to be the only Channel, but as I took a fragment of Luna's soul, another broke from Sol's. It had been my brother's will."

 

Kyungsoo glanced at Chanyeol, who had braced himself for the coming news.

 

"Shortly after, the soul fragments seemed to no longer be under my control. They transferred into bodies that I had not even considered or planned the futures of. Chanyeol was never meant to be a Channel, I had even tried to intervene with his awakening, the result of which you have already witnessed." Sehun had settled on the sofa, not even once breaking eye contact with the two boys. "I know not what my brothers have planned for you."

 

"Why didn't you just kill me? You could have made me die of natural causes - speaking of which, what is the importance of an unnatural death for Channels? Shouldn't the energy be released either way?" Chanyeol asked a little to bitterly, trying his best to hide his disappointment with not being the 'chosen one'. He had seen his status as a badge of honour, as someone who stood above the rest, and it only pained him to hear that none of it was deserved.

 

"When I say I have control over a soul fragment, in essence, I have control of the Channel's lifeforce itself. The amount of energy inside that soul, though in great quantities, is finite because my abilities are limited; once that energy is gone, you die - this is what I define as a 'natural' death. No other Channel before Lee Yoora had died in the same way she had done, partly because their powers were so feared that no one even dared challenge them." Sehun explained, the thick green mist having almost completely died down to thin wisps encircling the boy. "I am no god, I cannot control your will. I can only set the pieces in place - my physical form here being one of them."

 

A brief silence filled the room, which was soon broken by the sound of two simultaneous yawns.

 

"I don't mean to interrupt, but my brain cannot process all of this information at this time of the night." Kyungsoo tried to stifle a second yawn while lying back down on the sofa to wrap himself up once again. "Sehun, while I appreciate you telling us what we rightfully deserve to hear, I really can't keep my eyes open anymore."

 

"Agreed." Chanyeol joined Kyungsoo on the sofa, the latter jerking in surprise.

 

"Chanyeol go back to your armchair! Why do you always have to cling to me whenever we sleep?" Kyungsoo huffed, pushing the taller boy's face away in an attempt to knock him off.

 

"Nooo, I can't sleep sitting up." Chanyeol whined, forcing his head forward to then snuggle against the crook of the smaller boy's neck. "Plus you're really squishy, like a teddy bear, and obviously you sleep with a teddy bear, so…" He squeezed him tighter, for emphasis.

 

"Gross." Sehun commented snidely, a manner befitting of his usual self. The only evidence of his outburst was the throbbing red mark on his cheek in the shape of Chanyeol's hand.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I'll try to make the next chapter a bit more eventful and less bogged down with info!


	11. The Candidate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An angsty-ish Baekhyun-centric chapter!

When Baekhyun turned ten, he celebrated his birthday by going bug hunting with Chanyeol. He had wanted to try something new, to prove to his friend that he wasn't a wimp with no sense of adventure.

 

It was around midday when the cicadas' cries grew unbearably loud, and the heat even more so. The smaller of the two had sweat dripping down his shirt as they trekked deeper into the woods; the sound of a babbling brook had drawn closer, sparking excitement in both of the boys. Water had to mean bugs, and more bugs meant a happier Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

 

"Race you!" Chanyeol challenged him, then ran off with his net in hand. "Loser has to help Soyoung with her magic homework!"

 

"You're on!" Baekhyun more than happily agreed, sprinting to keep up with the other boy.

 

The two leapt over protruding tree roots and ducked under branches, their laughs resounding in the thick humid air. Though they hadn't a single bug in their collection, the two boys enjoyed themselves nonetheless, trying to catch up to one another, even occasionally pull the other's trousers down in an attempt to stop them.

 

Baekhyun reached the stream first, only to find Chanyeol out of sight.

In the distance, he heard the familiar cries of his friend.

Without thinking for a second, he rushed to the boy while dreading the worst.

 

Between a cluster of jagged rocks sat Chanyeol, the skin of his knees torn and daubed with blood; in his hands, he held an unrecognisable black clump.

"B-Baek! I crushed the bug….uuurgh…I-I killed it!" He blubbered, completely ignoring the much more serious wound on himself.

 

Baekhyun sighed, but couldn't help smiling. He knelt down and patted his friend's head while holding his sleeve against the boy's knee. "Don't worry Chanyeol, it's probably having one hell of a time in bug heaven." Baekhyun consoled him, carefully tending to the cut as he had seen his parents doing to their patients.

 

After burying the critter, their competition had already been forgotten as Baekhyun helped Chanyeol limp back home, their empty nets and boxes held with pride.

 

 

 

 

\---

 

 

Baekhyun slowly opened the door to his house, glancing for the final time behind him and over the low fence that separated his garden from Chanyeol's.

The taller boy had already began talking to Kyungsoo, smiling and laughing, not showing a hint of interest in Baekhyun despite his injuries. He hadn't even said goodbye.

Scowling, the light wielder closed his front door.

 

He lightly tread across the landing, catching a glimpse of his father on the sofa, a half-empty pint of beer in his hands. The man swirled the contents absentmindedly as he gazed at the clock on the wall, mind somewhere far away.

 

_Tick_

 

"Father?" Baekhyun called out, a slow burning feeling consuming his chest. He had waited for this moment, to bring a smile to his face. After seeing Junmyeon with Chanyeol, it only made him miss his father that much more.  
 

 

_Tick_

 

"Baekhyun?" From the landing, his mother had stood, a smile on her weary face. It was if she had aged drastically, a tint of grief on her skin. "Is that really you? Thank the gods, you're safe…you're alive."

She ran up to him, and held him in an embrace. The boy noticed how much gaunter her face looked, how clearly her bones jutted from her pale skin, how deep the circles under her eyes were.

 

_Tick_

 

"Mother, where's Soyoung?" Baekhyun asked, knowing that his sister would usually stay up late at night, studying in the living room in silence, diligently working towards her goal of being a priest.

His mother with a face that told nothing simply looked at him, eyes dulled and staring at the injuries on his face.

 

_Tick_

 

"She died. In that fire three weeks ago." His father muttered, words slurred by the alcohol. "The fire that that _monster_ created."

 

At the stroke of midnight, the clock chimed, filling the palpable silence with a shrill melody.

 

"Chanyeol didn't…it was an accident, father!" Baekhyun tried to defend him, but in the knowledge that it was _his sister's_ life that was taken, he felt conflicted. Like he was betraying his family for choosing his friend's side. The boy wanted to say more, but his words were lost in his strained tears. "He di-…she…"

 

Not a single coherent sentence would come out. It tore the boy in two, the grief, the pain of losing a loved one. His sister who would tease him endlessly, who never missed a chance to embarrass him in front of his classmates, who always beat him in everything. His beloved sister who he cherished, and stayed by his side during the dark lonely nights when their parents were on the battlefield, their lives hanging by a string.

 

"Baekhyun, those wounds…who did that to you?" His father, in a moment of sobriety, eyed the cuts and bruises. "That…that boy, he was the one that took you, wasn't he? He was the one that hurt you. He wanted you dead, like your sister… and you're defending him?!" His voice was raised, anger twisted into his words.

 

"Don't jump to conclusions. I teleported Minseok and Chanyeol's father away with me before the fire reached us, but I messed up and we ended up in Mirades. I just…ran into some bandits on the way back." Baekhyun quickly explained, watching the rage in his father grow. "Like I said, none of this was his fault. I don't know why, but something went wrong when Minseok was trying to awaken him. He's a Channel now, he wouldn't hurt people like that! He didn't mean it!"

 

"You…you've been brainwashed by that monster. He killed Soyoung and you think that he wouldn't do the same to you?" Drunkenly, his father stood up, body swaying.

 

"Chanyeol is not a monster." Baekhyun retorted with grit teeth. "He's my best friend." Those words which he had began to doubt were uttered from his mouth without hesitation.

 

"'Friends' like him aren't people you should be so proud of, Baekhyun. In the end, he'll just stab you in the back." His father snarled. "He'll murder you in cold blood."

 

Having enough of his father's accusations, he left his parents and made his way to his bedroom, free from the nonsense of it all.

As he walked away, he heard his mother trying to calm his father in a hushed voice. "You thought your son was dead as much as your daughter, and you can't even welcome him home properly?" Her tone was sharp and as critical as her inebriated husband's.

 

For the rest of the night, Baekhyun lay in bed, the tiredness all but gone from his body. Instead, it was replaced with an unnerving doubt.

He wondered what Chanyeol's reaction would be after finding out Soyoung had been killed in the fire. Would he feel sad? Would he blame himself, as he always did when something went wrong? Would he never want to see Baekhyun again out of grief?

 

Those thoughts filled his head, but something in the back of his mind began to bring up much different questions.

Chanyeol hadn't even batted an eye when he realised his best friend was alive and well, despite almost being burnt alive.

There was no touching reunion; Baekhyun had been practically invisible to him. There were no apologies, no discussions. They had hardly even talked for more than ten minutes when, before, all Chanyeol would ever do was run his mouth in Baekhyun's presence.

They had joked around, yes, but he wanted something more than that.

 

Baekhyun turned to his side, pulling the sheets closer to him with eyebrows furrowed.

Something wasn't right about Chanyeol, and he couldn't even tell what it was.

 

\---

 

The next morning, his mother entered his room with a folded piece of her paper in her hands.

 

She opened the windows, the sunlight spilling in over the boy's eyes. Out of instinct, Baekhyun flicked his wrist and bent the beam of light waves away; his mother chuckled, tapping him lightly on the shoulder to get up.

 

"Have a look at this." His mother balanced the paper on his forehead, laughing as he squirmed in surprise with his eyes still tightly shut. "Your father and I feel that it's important that you pay your respects…and to see your sister."

 

The woman left the room, the door gently clicking shut behind her.

Once her footsteps could no longer be heard, Baekhyun unfolded the paper and skimmed through its contents. It was the locations of eight graves, the ones that died at the monastery. His sister was there, just a word on a page.

 

It was, he felt, information that Chanyeol deserved to know.

 

Baekhyun left the house with a bouquet of lilies in his hand - Soyoung's favourite flower; he hopped over the fence into Chanyeol's garden and opened the door after finding that it wasn't even locked.

The three boys were sleeping in the living room, unaware of their visitor.

"Chanyeol." Baekhyun called his name, loud and clear. The boy in question woke up immediately, momentarily confused; Baekhyun snickered as he saw him slowly regain his senses. "Chanyeol, we're going to visit the cemetery. You need to see them - the ones that were killed."

 

The taller boy's mouth was parched and croaked out his words. "…Killed?...By me…I…I should."

There was a hesitance to his voice, as if he was unsure of what he should have been saying. Baekhyun didn't question him for it, instead humming in agreement.

"The others, Baekhyun, shouldn't we take the others?" Chanyeol rubbed the sleep from his eyes before slipping on a coat from the coat rack, despite it only being the late summer.

 

"No." He answered bluntly. "And we need to go before anyone else sees you."

 

"Fine, fine." Chanyeol sighed, throwing the hood over his head. "You seem a bit gloomy today. Still tired?"

 

"I'm alright." Baekhyun replied dismissively as he led his friend away to the cemetery.

 

\---

 

 

Each grave had been kept clean with freshly picked flowers settled by the stone slabs, on which were engraved epitaphs written in cursive; as morbid as it sounded, Baekhyun occasionally pondered about his death and what words would be written about him. He often pushed those thoughts out of his head, choosing instead to live life to the fullest rather than clinging on to a far away future.

 

Chanyeol had shown little reaction to the graves of the first seven, but Baekhyun chalked it up to the lack of connection. He didn't expect him to start bawling, but the way his friend seemed to just accept it had irked him. It wasn't so much that Chanyeol didn't care, but in that he didn't _want_ to care; there was no effort made on his part to show his remorse with any sincerity.

It wasn't like him at all. The Chanyeol that Baekhyun knew was all passion and soft-hearted smiles, not _this._ Whatever _this_ was.

 

When they reached the final grave, Baekhyun and Chanyeol fell silent as the name stood out, bold and undeniably new.

"My sister was one of the people that died." The light wielder eventually spoke up, eyes fixed on the other boy.  
 

Chanyeol frowned, biting his bottom lip. "Baekhyun…I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, you know that, right?"

 

"Yeah, I know." He answered curtly, still staring at Chanyeol. "It wasn't your fault, I never once thought that it was."

 

"I'm…I'm sorry." It was all the Channel could say. Though his eyes were downcast, they weren't looking down on the floor in repentance. It was to conceal what emotion they lacked; how uninterested they were.

 

"Is that all?" Baekhyun asked with a tinge of caution. He curled his fingers, digging them into the palms of his hand in anticipation for something more. He needed something more.

 

"Should there be more?" were his only words. Not even a tear had been shed, and his sister's death had already become a disregarded thought. If anything, Chanyeol looked like he didn't want to be there, to be away from his friend. To be by the side of someone else.

 

Baekhyun scoffed, rolling his eyes in disbelief.

"If I die," The smaller of the two uttered, taking the other by surprise. "Would you be as fucking insincere as you are now? Would you even care? I don't give a damn if I'm being dramatic, like you always tell me, but is this really all you can say? That you're sorry? Fucking hell, Chanyeol, of course there should be more!"

 

"I know you Chanyeol, you've written secret messages of praise for the people that smiled at you. You cried when you accidentally kicked a puppy. You consoled a weeping stranger." Baekhyun was now shouting, drowning out the rustling of leaves in the wind. "Yet you can't even so much as look like you're sad for the woman that treated you like family?"

 

"Baekhyun just stop it." Chanyeol muttered, avoiding eye contact with the light wielder who looked at him with a pained expression. "I've….changed. Grown up."

 

"That's not a bloody good enough reason for acting this way!" Baekhyun bit back, stepping further and further away from the boy. "That psychopathic bastard either did something to you or you've just turned into a cunt. Go back to him and don't even _think_ of talking to me again, _monster_."

 

When Chanyeol had nothing to say, the boy walked off, leaving his friend amongst the silence of the dead.

 

\---

 

 

At Minseok's home, Baekhyun had found everyone gathered, even the strange child who he remembered being called Sehun. Everyone except for Chanyeol.

 

"Where's Chanyeol?" Kyungsoo asked, worried and trying to get Sehun to eat the biscuits Minseok prepared.

 

"Paying his respects." Baekhyun mumbled, doing his best not to sneer at the sound of the boy's name.

 

"Oh dear, did you two get into a fight?" Minseok questioned the boy with a condescending tone; the light wielder inwardly cursed the man's keen observation skills. "Do you want to talk about your feelings?"

 

"Shut up." The boy threw a nearby pillow at the priest, who caught it squarely in his hands with a smug grin. "And he'll be here soon anyway, so quit your worrying." He directed his words to Kyungsoo, who looked taken aback by what Baekhyun was insinuating.

 

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Jongdae remarked, walking in from the kitchen with a glass of water as if he had lived in Minseok's home all of his life.

 

"Will all of you get off of my case? I'm not in a good mood." Baekhyun slumped on to one of the armchairs, arms crossed. "…My sister was one of the people that died."

 

Kyungsoo placed a consolatory hand on the boy's shoulder, a genuine look of sympathy on his face. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Baekhyun turned his head away and shrugged the hand off his shoulder; the boy was the last person he wanted to be pitied by.

 

No one brought it up again, instead changing the topic to an urgent matter.

 

"It was announced by the town crier this morning - Lady Taeyeon's execution." Minseok revealed, hands clasped together with a grave expression on his face. "And they've already started taking in applications for the Thirteenth Court Mage at the Magician's Plaza-"

 

Baekhyun stood up abruptly at the sound of the news.

 

"-which is pretty damn cold, even by the Imperial family's standards, but I understand if you want to go, Baekhyun." Minseok continued. "Still, I advise you give this some thought rather than jumping from thing to another, like you always do."

 

The light wielder turned on his heels, not waiting for another word from the others.

Sehun watched him with dark eyes, not saying a word.

 

"Baekhyun this is too quick, you should at least talk to us." Jongdae ran after him, pulling him back by his arm. "We don't even know why the Court Mage is being killed, and you already want to apply to be one?

 

Kyungsoo, who had connected the dots and knew more than most what the immediate consequences would be if Baekhyun became the Court Mage, positioned himself in front of the boy, forming a barricade with his body. "Baekhyun, don't do this. Just wait a minute, and let me explain."

 

Unwilling to listen to whatever the Channel had to say, Baekhyun tried to push him aside, but Kyungsoo stood firm with the help of gravity manipulation. "You need to let me talk."

 

"I don't want to hear whatever _you_ have to say." The boy grimaced, holding Kyungsoo's collar in his grip. "Because of you, something's changed in Chanyeol. He's someone else, now. Someone that _you_  created."

 

"Baekhyun, let go of him." Chanyeol had finally arrived, swiftly intervening by cutting between the two. "Your sister's death is getting to you, I understand that, but don't take it out on Kyungsoo. He hasn't done anything wrong."

 

It was a lost cause. All of it was.

There was no one on his side anymore.

 

Baekhyun stepped back, sighing in frustration. There was only one thing he could rely on, and it was just a few sentences long.

With thoughts of the streets of Eris in mind, a white light engulfed his body, almost blinding all in its vicinity, while he spoke the very words that he had grown to trust.

 

"Baekhyun!" Chanyeol reached his hands out, trying to grab what he could.

 

In a matter of seconds, the boy had disappeared.

 

\---

 

The Magician's Plaza was bursting with life, despite the news of the revered Court Mage's execution, the details of which had simply been "treason".

Children from the orphanage that Lady Taeyeon often visited wept with sadness amongst the crowd of potential Court Mages, who had jumped at the opportunity like hyenas feasting on fallen prey; the time had finally come for every magic wielder to prove their worth, and remorse had become a secondary thought.

 

Baekhyun materialised in a narrow alleyway, close to the recruitment corps' building, which had been brimming to their doors with people.

After pushing past several angry mages, he reached one the stalls which had been manned by an incredibly bored officer.

 

"Sign your name here, here and here." Like a robot, he pointed at each line, not even trying to stifle his yawn. After the document had been filled, the officer produced a crystal from under the table and instructed the boy to use his powers on it.

 

"Good luck." The man said with little sincerity in his words. "May all your dreams come true." He added, practically dripping with sarcasm.

Baekhyun, who wanted nothing more to punch the man in the face, directed all his energy into the crystal; a light, the brightest he had ever made, filled the room, resulting in shrieks and cries of shock. Under the weight of his power, the crystal fragmented into tiny shards and scattered across the table.

 

The officer looked at him in amazement, a smile plastered across his face. "Well, boy, you've just made my job a whole lot more easier." He began casting a teleportation spell on Baekhyun, who had become giddy with joy. "Congratulations, yoooou're through to the semi-finals!" The man laughed heartily as the boy's matter evaporated before him.

 

As he materialised again for the second time that day, Baekhyun came face to face with a single lit podium on a completely black backdrop; in the unknown space, even his breath had echoed, bouncing around the invisible walls.

A woman who he could only barely make out was sat metres above him, hidden behind a faceless white mask.

 

"Welcome, Candidate." She greeted him, her words cutting through the dark silence. "State your name and purpose."

 

"Byun Baekhyun." He answered, neck craned towards the woman. "I wish to become the Thirteenth Court Mage."

 

"How original." The woman commented, stamping a document on her desk. "Go through that door."

 

Beside the boy, a stream of blue light expanded into a doorway, which Baekhyun cautiously walked through.

 

"May all your dreams come true." She repeated the officer's words as the boy descended into the radiance of whatever lay beyond.

 

\---

 

 

Back at Minseok's house, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol did their best to explain to the priest and Jongdae what Sehun had told them thus far, due to the strange boy's unwillingness to repeat his words. Their response was surprisingly calm, having dawned on them that at all these seemingly random and unconnected incidents that the men had experienced was enough to prepare anyone for practically anything.

 

"So why was Baekhyun so mad at you?" Jongdae spluttered his words as he sucked on a humbug, courtesy of Minseok. "From what I can tell, he's a pretty stubborn kid. But that was some next level stubbornness."

 

"I don't know why, and I feel like an absolute dick for it, but I just can't feel remorse. I absolutely cannot feel it, no matter what I do." Chanyeol confessed, head buried in his hands. "I didn't even feel upset when I found out his sister had died, and I don't even care about those other seven people."

 Kyungsoo had began rubbing his back, trying to soothe his worry away; having gained enough confidence over the past week, the boy decided to tell his story as well.

 

"Me too, but with another part of my personality." Kyungsoo added on. "Everyday, I feel like I'm morphing into some thief, or evil mastermind, or whatever you call it. I hate lying, but I can't seem to help myself from doing it, and I wouldn't say I'm particularly possessive, but sharing my money seems to always…annoy me."

 

"You know, Kyungsoo, out of everyone here, I feel like I hardly know you. Hell, I know more about Jongdae's past than yours." Chanyeol turned his head, asking the boy curiously.

 

One week ago, Kyungsoo wouldn't have had the courage to speak his mind, or even think about revealing what he had been to others, but something about Chanyeol made him want to open up. Made him want to get closer and closer until he was his. What confused the boy was whether this feeling was his own or his new personality's, but still, he had feared either answer.

 

The Channel spoke about his past, everything from becoming a slave to the point until he killed Amber to save his father's life by accident. He voiced his worries about Jongin, the sweet boy who he wanted to be happy; he told them about the scars on his back, the sexual harrassment, the pain that he had become used to. He told them how he wanted to love others, but that household made him scorn affection, made him scared of its consequences.

 

When he had finally emptied his heart for show, he felt like the chains that bound him had been broken.

 

Chanyeol, with no words that needed to be spoken, embraced him, holding the boy's head below his chin and against his chest. Kyungsoo, who had learnt that these embraces were never forced nor insincere, leant in closer, as he had grown used to doing.

 

"And I thought I had it rough, your childhood is basically swimming in the sewers." Jongdae commented, now chewing on a cheese cracker, also by courtesy of Minseok. "Anyone else want to share more heartfelt memories? I feel like crying again."

 

Minseok hit him on the shoulder, eyebrow raised. "Usually people wait a couple of minutes before making any jokes."

 

"Sorry, sorry." The ex-innkeeper bowed his head, wiping the crumbs from the corner of his lip. "I'm glad you told us Kyungsoo, it must've been really hard. To be honest with you, though, the person I hardly know anything about is Sehun over there."

 

"Other than being the Dragon that you're pretty much standing on?" The boy in question spoke after having pulled out all the threads in the tassels of one of Minseok's pillows out of sheer boredom. "This body is the one I had in the Dracones. That's all you need to know."

 

"No, I mean, do you not have enough power to make a decent personality?" Jongdae smirked. In two seconds, a spear made out of green mist was aimed at the man's throat. Jongdae leapt out his seat and rolled on to the floor, trying to avoid being impaled.

 

"Jongdae, he's a Dragon. Why the _hell_ are you provoking him?" Kyungsoo sighed. He had been pushed out of the hug by Chanyeol, who was now slapping his knee and roaring with laughter.

 

"Enough!" Minseok shouted, trying to calm the rabble. "You still haven't explained why Lady Taeyeon, the one who was supposed to know that you were going to die, is being executed, and nor have we discussed this change in personality."

 

"Since you all seem to be bent on wasting time, I'll explain it." Sehun cut in, mildly annoyed. "In the past, Court Mages have been known to defy the Imperial family's orders to kill the Channel, which is why they've stopped telling them, instead disguising it as a mission on Mt. Stella. The given scroll summons an indestructible spirit which attacks the Channel, rather than establishing a so-called 'connection' with my brothers."

 

"As for your personalities…that's my brothers' doing. I know not what they are thinking, nor what they want to do with your bodies. The only thing you _can_ do is deplete their energy as much as you can." The boy continued. "Use your powers without hesitation, and you will grow stronger, as will your abilities."

 

"Alright, good enough." Chanyeol clapped his hands, then stood up. "We need to move."

 

"What why where?" Jongdae, who moved on to snacking on an oat bar, questioned the boy.

 

"We're going to save Byun Baekhyun."


	12. Sword and Shield

Junmyeon had been born in Ri-Ma, an Imperial village nestled away in the snow-capped mountains bordering the Union.

In the cold, harsh climate, he had lived with his family in peace, going about their days with the warmth of the hearth by their side and their iced breaths slipping from their smiling lips.

News of an imminent battle had thrown the village into a state of war; fathers and sons trained daily with their swords, while the women worked by the forge in constant company of the metalwork, crafting tirelessly as the Union army drew closer to their home.

 

It was in the late autumn of that year that the sound of bugle horns, signifying the charge of soldiers, could be heard amongst the tall fir trees of the forest encapsulating Ri-Ma.

The village had originally been Union mining territory, taken by the Imperial kingdom one century ago, and the people of the Union had wanted it back at all costs.

 

When the men had made their preparations and readied themselves to join their brothers in arms, Junmyeon had been six at the time, yet to know the horrors of war or the fear of death. He was elated to see his father don his armour, the insignia of the kingdom embossed on the chest; the child cheered him on with pride while his mother, with his baby brothers in her arms, waved him off while trying to hold back tears.

 

"Dear, come back safe!" Junmyeon's mother called out after her husband, who turned with an assured smile on his face.

 

"Take care of the children, I'll be back soo-"

 

The man's words had been cut short by an arrow piercing his throat, crimson blood bleeding profusely on to the clear white snow beneath him.

A bombardment of arrows rained down from the heavens, felling more villagers with each wave.

Once the attack had ceased, Junmyeon and his family didn't even have time to react before soldiers charged from the forest, swords raised and primed to cut down all in its path.

 

"Junmyeon, we need to go." The woman hurriedly grabbed her son's hand and ran to the mountains. The shock of her husband's death was clear in her numbed fingers and trembling limbs.

 

Their footsteps marred the untouched snow at the base of the rocky face; the baby had begun crying, face reddening as he wailed louder. Junmyeon's mother tried to hush him, rocking him in her shaking arms while Junmyeon bit back his tears, having finally seen death in a moment least expected.

After skirting around the mountain floor for half an hour, the screams from the village could no longer be heard.

 

Instead, they were replaced by the sound of heavy feet crunching the snow.

 

A sword unsheathing.

 

The clatter of metal.

 

Two bodies falling.

 

Three breaths now one.

 

A Union soldier lay dead at his feet beside his mother and brother's bodies, the crimson red spilling from their bodies and seeping into the snow-covered earth. Before him, a young man in his late teens with gold armour - more extravagant than any that he had ever seen - watched the child with unnerved eyes.

 

"Come, boy." The man held out his hand coated in dried blood.

 

Unsure of what to do, Junmyeon stayed still, warily watching the man while desperately trying not to cry.

 

"Your dare defy an order from the Crown Prince?" His voice boomed, seeming to be unlike any other of his age. "Come."

 

He grabbed the boy by force, leading him away from the corpses.

 

That was the last time he had seen his family, unable to even give them a proper burial.

 

\---

 

The morning after their companions' departure, Yixing and Junmyeon - who had spent part of the night formulating their course of action and the other part worrying for their sons - requested an audience with the Emperor in private.

 

"Junmyeon, you have defied my orders. Your son is not here, and you deemed it fit to bring a stranger with you." The Emperor rubbed his temples while eyeing the pair with discontent.

 

"If I recall correctly, it's because you wanted my son _dead_." Junmyeon spoke with gritted teeth, clenched fists resting on the edge of his seat's armrests. "And Yixing is my trusted assistant."

 

The Emperor gave a contemptuous laugh, then downed his wine. "Lady Taeyeon was a treasonous bitch, would you really believe her over me, Junmyeon? Do you honestly believe that I would order my guards to kill your son? They were only there to arrest that woman, yet she had to be ever so dramatic."

 

Yixing shifted in his seat, watching the man warily.

 

"Yifa-"

 

"How many times have I said told you not to call me by that name?" The Emperor swiftly interrupted, slamming his glass on the table. "Her head is lying in a ditch somewhere because of a crime that she committed - can you really trust a woman like that?"

 

"Wasn't it by your orders, _Your Majesty_? To have Lady Taeyeon killed? My _son's_ execution had been ordered three weeks ago, yet now that he's some valuable asset to you, you want him alive." Junmyeon spoke with indignation, glaring at the man before him.

 

"Why, you already know the answer to your unspoken question, General. " The Emperor sneered, an arrogant smile on his lips. "He's valuable to me, like you. Lady Taeyeon, however, was not - with her defiance, she became useless." His tone was matter-of-factly, as if nothing in his words could be wrong.

 

"Will you throw my son and I away after we've become useless?" Junmyeon uttered, disgusted by what the older man had said. It hadn't been the only occasion, and it certainly wasn't the last.

 

"Of course not." He replied briefly, a little too sure of his answer. Yixing looked at him with incredulous eyes, doubting whether the Emperor had spoken any truth since the two fathers requested for his presence.

 

"If you can guarantee that you never lay a hand on my son again, I will do whatever you ask for me. I will conquer the entire continent in your name, as long as Chanyeol-" The General spoke with determination, glancing for a second at Yixing, who looked at him hopefully. "-and Kyungsoo never have to follow your orders again."

 

The Emperor sat in thought, finger resting on his upper lip as he considered his final decision. "…You have my word, as long as both of you keep yours."

 

The two men sighed in relief, letting the tension dissipate in the warmth of the fireplace's crackling flames.

 

The older man rose from his seat and made his way across the room.

"Your first duties together will be to attend the Mastery of the Arcane Arts ritual." The Emperor opened the doors to his study, walking with an air of both grace and authority befitting that of a man of his status. "And I do hope that your sons join, by their will of course."

 

Leaving the men with his ambiguous words, he left the room with guards immediately joining his side.

 

\---

 

 

A large wooden club struck Baekhyun's chest, swinging him across the dirt floor in one swoop. The weapon's owner, a giant cyclops with a single horn protruding above its head, laughed gruffly as the boy limply tried to stand up.

 

"Having fun there, Mr. I'm-so- _fucking_ -full-of-myself?" A young female mage, Seulgi, jeered from behind her summoned beast.

 

A total of four Candidates remained, including Baekhyun, who had been the only boy; after hours of endless duels, the light wielder was exhausted yet still determined to achieve his goal. The Mastery of Arcane Arts ritual was so close to him, and Seulgi was the only person standing in the way of his final opponent.

 

"I boast once and suddenly everyone wants my head." Baekhyun huffed, wiping the mud from his chin. He steadied his hand and aimed a beam of light directly in the cyclops' eye; it roared in pain, shielding itself with both arms in a cross.

 

"All you've been doing is boasting! I don't think I've ever seen someone so sure of their shitty powers." Seulgi scoffed, preparing to summon another beast.

 

Baekhyun, none to pleased about his abilities being called "shitty", clapped his hands together, loud enough to silence the mage.

Slowly separating his palms, a ball of light started to form, gradually increasing in diameter.

The temperature around him started to rise, the sweat dripping down his forehead.

With his left hand, he carved the light sphere, slicing the surface into thin feathery strands of glowing yellow.

 

Seulgi watched the boy cautiously as her second beast began to take form.

 

The filaments of light, like curved blades, sliced through the cyclops by Baekhyun's will, the beast all but dissolving into a brown mess of blood-stained bones and leathery skin.

The female mage stepped back in fear, disrupting her flow of magic which caused her summoning to cease.

 

"Oh whoops, my shitty powers seemed to have obliterated your half-assed attempt at magic." The light wielder snickered, smugly weaving the threads of light between his fingers.

 

"Byun Baekhyun, you get on my nerves." Seulgi snarled while attempting to create her creature once more.

 

"You sound like a priest I know. But not as talented." Baekhyun stiffened his fingers, letting the ball of light grow again.

He let the light slide from his palms to the floor, snaking all the way to Seulgi's feet; the yellow absorbed into the fabric of shoes and into her skin, seeping into her bloodstream.

 

Soon, her veins were radiating light and not a single inch of her body could move.

 

The boy fashioned a sword out of the sphere and walked up to the girl, ready to strike her down.

 

"No hard feelings." He slashed through her, but instead of leaving a wound, the liquid light in her blood gravitated towards the blade, causing her to scream in pain as her muscles felt like they were ablaze. "Heh, more like I'm getting _into_         your nerves. Get it? Because you're in pain? No? Okay."

 

Seulgi fell to the floor, writhing in agony as the light gradually left, twisting every nerve and tissue in her body on the way out.

It suddenly struck Baekhyun how afflicted she was by his powers, noticing the torment she was going through and winced as blood trickled from her mouth. "Shit, sorry Seulgi. I didn't mean to hurt you this much." The boy tried to cast a weak healing spell, but Seulgi held his wrist, silently telling him to stop.

 

"You better become the next Court Mage, or I'll kill you." The mage muttered as she closed her eyes, her breathing becoming more steady.

 

In a matter of seconds, Baekhyun had been teleported to an arena, the stage of which was surrounded by rows of seats filled with unfamiliar faces. In the centre, his opponent stood with only a magic circle separating them; the mage was Irene, as Baekhyun had recalled, and she stood with her robes in tatters as he had.

 

The Emperor sat on a balcony in the company of his family and guard. He peered down at the two mages beneath, observing them silently.

"Let the Mastery of the Arcane Arts ritual begin!" The man announced, followed by the cheers of the audience.

 

\---

 

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuck!" Jongdae screamed as the phoenix flew at an incredibly fast speed, already halfway between Eris and Duras in less than ten minutes.

 

As an experienced mage, Minseok knew the procedures for the ascension of a new Court Mage, having also known many old classmates who applied all those years ago to then be defeated by Taeyeon. He understood that they didn't have days to prepare a plan, only hours that ticked away, second by second.

The priest intended to speak with the boy, to tell him the truth before the Imperial family could get their hold on him, but Chanyeol had insisted on making it a rescue mission. _His_ version of the plan was to distract the spectators with his flames, while the rest would snatch the light wielder amidst the chaos, his exact words being: "I'll burn the place to the ground if I have to."

 

Villages and farmland were a blur beneath them, disappearing into the horizon in a matter of minutes.

When Eris drew ever closer, Minseok instructed the two boys where to go, leading them to the auditorium between the palace and mage's district.

 

From their position, they could make out the Emperor's voice, which had been partially drowned out by the howling wind blowing over the arena.

Chanyeol willed the phoenix to fly closer, but the priest stopped him.

 

"We need to get closer!" The boy shouted over roaring wind, hair flying in all directions.

 

"If we get any closer, they'll see us and shoot us down!" The priest answered back, shivering as the cold nipped at his exposed skin.

 

"He's right, Chanyeol, let's land somewhere further away." Kyungsoo replied in agreement with Minseok as he lowered the bird down.

 

Not having the drive to argue, Chanyeol did as he was told and aided Kyungsoo in directing the bird to a seemingly empty sector of the city, somewhere close to the arena.

 

As they reached the ground, five guards had immediately caught sight of them, but they approached without any hostility, as if they were expecting the group to arrive.

 

"Channels, your fathers await you at the arena." The bowed deeply, leading the two boys to think that the Emperor's plan for them had changed, that they weren't sacrificial lambs anymore. "The ceremony has already began, we will escort you there post-haste."

 

After exchanging several sceptical looks amongst each other, they all agreed, following the guards through the districts and to their destination, while staying vigilant for a possible trap.

Fortunately, there had been none, having managed to reach the arena without so much as a hair on their body damaged; to their surprise, seats had been prepared with Junmyeon and Yixing occupying two.

 

"Fa-" Kyungsoo began to call out, but Yixing held a finger to his lips. The crowd had gone silent as the symbols of the magic circle were illuminated, signifying the start of the ritual.

As the group had taken to their seats, Chanyeol watched his friend with conflicted feelings. With different circumstances, he would have been overjoyed that Baekhyun managed to be one of the final two Candidates, but he only sensed danger seeing the boy, as if his Baekhyun's life would be taken from him at any moment, like Soyoung's had been, and no matter how much he or anyone denied it, Chanyeol knew that he himself really was to blame for everything that had happened.

Chanyeol realised that he had hurt his friend far too much, something that no high status title or ancient power could ever make right.

 

From the circle emerged thick black smoke that condensed into a viscous liquid darker than coal.

 

A familiar entity began to form.

 

Wrapped in chains the colour of an endless night, a towering hooded spirit slowly rose from the centre of the stage.

 

"Holy shit, th-that's-" Jongdae leapt in his seat at the sight of the demonic being that had haunted him for over a year.

 

"You can't be serious…why is that _thing_ here?" Kyungsoo groaned, his stomach turning after catching sight of the skeletal face.

 

The two Candidates prepared their spells, but were petrified as the monstrosity grew larger in height with each passing second.

 

\---

 

Baekhyun, having never witnessed such a foul creature, froze in fear. From what he could see, Irene was facing the same problem; her face had turned red as she began to cry uncontrollably.

Lightning was her medium and was certainly strong enough to face the spirit, but her mind had been sent into a frenzy, unable to even comprehend going up such a thing.

The boy stepped back, looking around for anything, anybody, to reassure him that he wouldn't die; he looked up at the Emperor, who had a cold, unyielding expression on his face. Men, women and even children in the audience remained silent, terrified of moving muscle in case they provoked the black spectre.

In the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar big-eared boy grimacing in his seat.

 

"Chanyeol?" Baekhyun's voice had barely been a whisper, but his friend reacted to it.

The taller boy pointed repeatedly at the spirit, encouraging him to fight; beside Chanyeol, a straight-faced Kyungsoo and Sehun gave him a thumbs up, then made stabbing motions in the air.

Baekhyun snorted with laughter at how ridiculous the two looked, and if anything, it was the perfect motivation.

 

Kyungsoo leaned in to whisper in Chanyeol's ear, "So what about that rescue mission of yours?"

"…I'll let Baekhyun handle that persistent bastard, _then_ we'll rescue him." Chanyeol decided, trying to hide the fact that he was practically quaking in his boots.

"Whatever you say." Kyungsoo grinned, watching the usually brazen boy cower in his seat.

 

Just as they turned their attention back to the stage, whips made of light lashed the spirit, causing it to recoil in pain and shriek the same ungodly noise.

Baekhyun formed a javelin with his medium, and threw it at the heart of the phantom, it's direction guided by the sunlight.

As quickly as it had appeared, the spirit evaporated into ashen dust that lingered in the air, before disappearing in an anticlimactic manner.

It had been too easy, the light wielder concluded, while he kept his light sphere active out of caution.

 

Screams from the audience, instead of applause, was the first thing he heard.

From Jongdae's lips, a black substance with an undeniable similarity to the spirit's mist had dripped on to the floor, dense and with the consistency of slime; the man who bore it was speechless, too shocked to move as the darkness spilled all around him.

Without so much as a moment's hesitation, Minseok quickly began chanting an unknown spell, energy directed at the man beside him.

The priest drew the jet black haze out of him, letting it snake over and under the seats away from Jongdae's body.

 

"Jongdae, when you described that spirit to me, I didn't think you were talking about the Angelus." Minseok told the man, who looked at him wide-eyed and yet to understand what had happened.

 

"You say that like I know what you're talking about." Jongdae managed to utter despite heavily panting like his lungs would give out.

 

"That figures, you aren't a mage. The Angelus is the spirit used in the Mastery of the Arcane Arts ritual - your previous job being hit with Taeyeon's magic might have something to do with it." The priest explained, slapping the man's back to remove remnants of the fog. "And you need to work on your describing skills - I can't believe "big black thing with a hood and chains" scared the living daylights out of Baekhyun."

 

As they were speaking, the Angelus began to reform on the stage.

Irene, who had long since fainted, had been removed from the arena to be given medical attention, leaving only Baekhyun. The light wielder had half-expected to be announced as the victor, seeing as the other Candidate was unconscious, but the ceremony continued much to his dismay.

 With the light sphere glaring in his hands, the boy positioned himself for another fight.

 

Black fog swirled on the stage, the thick liquid rising again; from the darkness emerged the Angelus, albeit smaller than its previous iterations.

However, instead of launching itself at Baekhyun, it aimed its attack at Jongdae, who had just started to calm himself down.

The Emperor, having been intrigued yet wary of the unforeseen events, ordered his guards to prepare a seal, in the event that harm should befall the audience.

 

Before the spirit could land its claws on the man, Chanyeol drew in air and let out the largest breath he could muster.

Fire of a ferocity that Chanyeol had never created before erupted from his mouth, the flames engulfing the spirit and ripping through it's body.

Meanwhile, Kyungsoo let his breath tumble from his lips, the white mist pooling around him.

With his fingers, he formed silvery white threads that slid up the Angelus, wrapping it tightly in order to immobilise it on the spot.

Chanyeol continued to breath fire until not a single speck of black remained.

 

Baekhyun watched in awe as the two worked seamlessly together.

However, he soon noticed the situation turn awry.

 

"Chanyeol, you can stop now, it's gone." Kyungsoo said to the boy, watching the crowd back away as the fire began to burn stronger, to then realise that the mist from his mouth wouldn't return.

 

"I…can't." Chanyeol replied anxiously, the flames leaking from the gaps in his lip at an uncontrollable strength.

Suddenly, a fiery aura surrounded the Sun Dragon's Channel, bathing his body in a vibrant yellow fire; at the same time, a silver glow engulfed Kyungsoo's body, his skin shimmering a frosty white.

 

Bewildered, Sehun used his abilities in an attempt to interfere, materializing a cold green liquid to quell the flames, but to no avail. The flames still licked the stands, scorching the wooden seats black and a heavy white mist trailed over the floor, seeping into the concrete and cracking its surface.

 

"What the hell is happening?" Minseok shouted over the commotion, holding Jongdae back to shield him from the fire.

 

"I really don't know." Sehun frowned, conjuring a barrier around the flames and mist, which was immediately broken down. "My brothers…they've regained their energy. But how? How have they managed this so quickly?"

 

Baekhyun had climbed on to the lower tier, rejoining his companions. "Why aren't they stopping? And where's Kyungsoo and Chanyeol's fathers?"

 

Looking around, the two men weren't anywhere in sight partly due to the exceptionally poor visibility, with plumes of smoke spattered with a luminescent white dust billowing around the arena.

Guards had evacuated the audience, but the Emperor chose to stay in his balcony to watch the ordeal, his eyes fixed on the two Channels.

 

Chanyeol had tried to cover his mouth, but the flames continued to spew out, growing more fierce with every effort to stop them; Kyungsoo attempted to hold his breath, but ended up spluttering more and more mist around him. In their desperation, they tried to manipulate their breaths, but not a single flame nor particle bent to their will, as if another force had reign over the bodies.

 

\---

 

In the Emperor's balcony, Yixing and Junmyeon had confronted the ruler. The commotion below was in clear view, framed by the velvet curtains and golden railings.

 

"You said that you wouldn't do anything to our sons, so why on earth is this happening?" Junmyeon growled, face contorted in rage.

 

The Emperor frowned, none too pleased about the General's disrespectful behaviour and accusations. "This is none of my doing, Junmyeon. If anything, I could hold you accountable for disrupting the ritual."

 

"How is this any of Junmyeon's fault? All of this just happened out of the blue, and no one seems to know what's going on." Yixing sighed in frustration, keeping one eye on his son in the distance, whose body was obscured by the debris in the air.

 

"Simply because they are _your_ sons. They are under _your_ supervision, and therefore _you_ are to blame for this entire mess." The Emperor snarled, ordering the guards to escort the pair away.

 

"Mark my words, Yifan, I will-"

 

 

 

_BOOM_

 

 

 

 

Interrupting all conversations, an ear-splitting noise erupted from the sky, followed by strikes of lightning that seared the arena floor.

The entire building and all in its vicinity shook under the force, fissures forming in the ground.

From the heavens, two voices spoke, melding into one.

 

 

_Terra, our dear brother._

_The Coelestia is ours to claim._

_Fear our wrath._

_For death will be known today._

 

 

Baekhyun, Minseok and Jongdae turned their attention to the entities taking shape above them, compelled into a state of entrancement.

Sehun watched the skies in fear of what was to come, biting his lower lip anxiously.

Yixing and Junmyeon collapsed on to the floor, their souls in a state of turmoil.

From Kyungsoo and Chanyeol's bodies emerged a blinding white light.

It rose from Eris and spread across the world.

 

All were engulfed in a cold embrace.

 

All understood the anger of Sol and Luna.

 

All knew death that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end...?
> 
> lol no, second half of the story coming up!


	13. Where We Live

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: there is a cane involved  
> (i can't believe i even wrote this)  
> (i'm so sorry)

_Six years later_

 

_Sie-Orphell, The New Capital of the Irem-Unis Republic_

 

 

"How quickly can an empire dissolve?" The Thirteenth Court Mage began to end his lecture with confidence, hoping to have drawn in the interest of his students. "Conversely, how quickly can a union form between two warring nations? There's a common factor here, any ideas?"

 

He was met with silence, not a single hand raised with enthusiasm; this was the main reason why he wanted to teach the older years - they weren't so afraid, or rather, they were too disillusioned to care about mistakes.

"This isn't a trick question." The man sighed, observing the blank-eyed stares across the room.

 

One brave soul held up her hand, "In less than a year?"

 

"I suppose you're right." The mage smiled bitterly, glancing at the diagram on the board. It was of Sol and Luna, each Dragon meticulously annotated. "While the First Court Mage may have based his idea of two Channels causing the end of the world purely on the fact that he needed to sell copies and make money, there was a certain truth to his words."

 

The man pointed his cane at a map beside him, landing directly on Eris. "It began here, when two Channels had unknowingly revived Sol and Luna within themselves, the force of which resulted in a worldwide catastrophe that decimated the global population."

 

He turned to his students, who were still too fresh-face and innocent. "You are here because this world has been in a state of war for a little under six years against a common enemy."

The Court Mage walked closer to the front, preparing to finish with the words on everyone's lips. "You are here because we need to eliminate Zhang Kyungsoo and Kim Chanyeol at all costs, for the future of this planet."

 

Unexpectedly, his students gave him a round of applause; the man laughed inwardly, noting how adorably naïve the new years were.

 The bell rang and with clockwork-like movement, the students stood up and bowed in unison, regurgitating what they had been taught to say during their induction period, "Thank you, Lord Minseok."

 

"Huh, Lord…I don't think I'll ever get used to that." He muttered to himself, then waved the boys and girls off. "Dismissed."

 

As each one filed out of the room, a familiar boy entered the room, tight-lipped and looking as if he was perpetually annoyed with everyone.

 "Happy birthday old man." He dropped a small box, neatly tied with a red ribbon, on Minseok's desk. "Can't believe you're already forty three."

 

"And I can't believe you're still wearing the same expression from six years ago, Sehun." The Court Mage bit back, ruffling the boy's hair. Minseok noticed how considerably taller he had gotten, a sign that his body was indeed ageing; with Sehun's abilities as Terra drastically weakened, there was little he could do to control it. "Have you seen Jongdae around? I haven't seen him since last night."

 

"Why? You miss your boyfriend?" Sehun jeered, swerving his body to narrowly avoid being hit by Minseok's cane. "He's probably helping Baekhyun clean up the site where that Gate appeared."

 

"Thanks, and Jongdae is not, I repeat, _not_ my boyfriend. I'm too old for all of this dating nonsense, Sehun." Minseok said as he hurriedly left the lecture hall, present in hand.

 

"Which is precisely why you should just marry him!" Sehun called out after the man, who did his best to ignore whatever else came from the boy's mouth.

 

The Court Mage ran over to the eastern sector of Sie-Orphell, where a Gate had materialised two days prior.

Ever since Kyungsoo and Chanyeol's fusion with Luna and Sol respectively, the two Dragons had begun sending out all sorts of monstrosities to Earth in their attempt to eradicate all Children of Man and to replace the Coelestia with their creations, so that nothing of Terra but his body remained.

The Gates were the Dragons' connection with the lower realm, from which magical beasts and other creatures spawned, "murderous" being their permanent behavioural setting.

 

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol appeared frequently across the continent through those Gates, wreaking havoc on everything in their path and consuming whatever they touched in a white, fiery blaze.

 East Sie-Orphell was no exception.

 As Minseok reached the site of the battle, he caught sight of Baekhyun and Jongdae leaning over a table in one of the army tents, reading over several documents.

 

"Baekhyun, Jongdae, how's the situation?" The Court Mage asked, joining the duo.

 

Baekhyun ran his fingers through his hair, shaking the strands vigorously out of frustration. "Those two will be the death of me. Five soldiers dead, one battle mage dead, ten civilian casualties, all in all, weak compared to others." He tilted his head back, sighing. "Also, one very annoyed General."

 

After relinquishing the title of Court Mage to Minseok following the incident at Eris, Baekhyun trained to become a battle mage in the army, eventually rising up the ranks at an incredibly fast rate; his talents were well-recognised, which only served to blow up both his ego and his stress levels.

 

In those six years, the boy grew up into a man, and managed to see the Imperial kingdom and the Union unite, an event he thought would never occur in his lifetime. He witnessed the long reign of the Imperial family come to an end, and the adoption of the Union's system of government across the continent.

In those six years, the world had changed. Not only was the flow of magic now limitless, mostly in thanks to the same force that killed one tenth of the population, but his best friend also became his one and only enemy.

 

"They're getting more and more bold," Jongdae slid Minseok a map marked with the locations of Gates. "Multiple Gates have opened up at the same time, and honestly, the army is spread way too thinly."

 

"I came here to invite the both of you to dinner, but truth be told, this has really dampened my mood." Minseok turned the map face down, not even bothering to look at its contents.

 

"What can we do? Chanyeol and Kyungsoo just won't stop." Baekhyun started rolling up the documents, sliding them into metal tubes. "But I'd still like to take you up on that offer." He winked at the Court Mage, who then grimaced at him in return.

 

"But before we do, we need to go to Sie-Orphell palace, the Chief wanted us to report directly to him." Jongdae halted their conversation, sliding the metal tubes under his arm. Minseok and Baekhyun reluctantly nodded. "For two people with such high ranks, you would think that you'd have a greater sense of responsibility."

He left the tent first, ordering a soldier for a carriage to be provided for them on the way out.

 

"Get that stick out of your ass, Dae." Baekhyun muttered, picking up the rest of the documents.

 

Out of the three, Jongdae had been the most affected. Having no tangible link to the Channels, unlike Minseok and Baekhyun, and being born without any special skills, such as the ability to wield magic, made the ex-innkeeper want to work harder. To secure his place in the new environment he was so haphazardly thrown into, he joined Baekhyun in the new Irem-Unis army, eventually gaining the title of Captain.

However, a small part of him always wondered whether the position was given to him solely because of his ties to Baekhyun, or if he really did deserve it. When he first entered, there had been whispers of the man piggy-backing on the light wielder's successes - horrible rumours that left him feeling empty and doubting if he should even continue.

 But those were all silenced when his nightmare became his saviour. While on a mission to close a Gate near a small village, Jongdae had accidentally summoned the Angelus, which, though he could not control it, fought for him.

It was a surreal moment, to say the least, when the very spirit that had tried to murder him two years prior appeared out of the blue and came to his rescue.

Jongdae liked to think that it was Lady Taeyeon's parting gift, but he accepted the fact that he would probably never know.

 

"If you want your birthday dinner, you better move!" Jongdae shouted, signalling the two other men to join him.

They all boarded the carriage and made their way to the Sie-Orphell palace, one of the two seats of government in Irem-Unis, the other being in Nwer-Lo, the Union's capital.

After Eris was razed to the ground, misfortune struck the continent, the result of which was numerous famines and natural disasters. When the Imperial family did little to help and the Gates started appearing, the people revolted and overthrew the ruling family; they sought the help of the Union, eventually leading to the formation of Irem-Unis - literally "Imperial Union" in the Union's old tongue.

A republic was created while the Imperial family were made to spend the rest of their lives as common people, a punishment too lenient according to the general populace.

 

After the trio arrived at their destination, two soldiers stood at the ready.

"General Byun Baekhyun, the Chief is waiting." One of the men announced, then escorted the group inside the palace.

 

\---

 

In the lower levels of the Veneris Academy of Magic, where Minseok taught, Sehun observed the two men before him.

Suspended in a crystalline structure, Yixing and Junmyeon had slept ever since their sons ascended into Sol and Luna; no one knew the reason why, not even Sehun himself, but he was sure that this too was part of his brothers' plan.

As far as the boy had understood, Sol and Luna wanted the Coelestia free of all Terra's design, but how Yixing and Junmyeon would fit into their scenario was lost on him.

 

Sehun touched the translucent crystal, feeling the cold numb his fingers. Through a clear gap in the fogged surface, he saw their faces that hadn't aged a single day; their expressions didn’t give way to any emotion or pain, if anything, the two men looked peaceful, as if they were dreaming.

 

Footsteps resounded behind him, causing the boy to spin around to face the source.

A woman in a velvet robe approached him, jet black hair in a tight bun; her demeanour reminded Sehun of Lady Taeyeon - graceful, but weighed down by the stress of her job, as could be seen in the dark circles under her eyes and gauntness of her face.

 

"Sehun, lessons have already started." She spoke, voice echoing in the small room. "We can't allow you any more special treatment than what has already been given to you, so move along."

 

"Yes, Headmistress Victoria." He bowed his head, and made his way to the upper levels.

 

Victoria watched him leave, then turned her attention to where Sehun had been standing. Her eyebrows furrowed, inspecting what had stood before her.

  
"I honestly can't tell what is so intriguing about this thing." She mumbled, leaning in to get a better view. "It's just a mural, yet that boy spends all of his time here."

 

As Sehun strolled to his lesson, not particularly caring about his teacher's reaction, he adjusted his necktie which he had managed to successfully tie without Minseok's help for once, even though it took ten minutes of fumbling around and almost strangling himself.

The wide corridors were silent, except for the sound of the caretaker sweeping the wooden floor; he greeted the man as he passed, then made a turn into his classroom.

"Ethics" was his last lesson of the day, and it pained him to think that he wouldn't be able to get away with sleeping, seeing as the class mostly involved discussing and debating.

 

Even though he opened the door as quietly as he could, everyone's attention was immediately diverted to him.

"Nice of you to join us, Sehun." His teacher, Professor Park, addressed him with poorly hidden annoyance. "I wonder when you'll start taking your studies seriously, or is it your intention to fail your final exams?"

 

"No, sir." Sehun replied curtly, knowing that snarky responses would only lead to sore wrists and wounded pride.

 

"Sit down, I'll speak to you at the end of this lesson." Professor Park sighed, before continuing to talk about the use of magic on animals.

 

When Irem-Unis came to be, education in either Schools of Swordsmanship or Academies of Magic were made compulsory. Sehun had refused enrolment straight away when Minseok suggested it, who had just been offered a teaching position at Veneris; after several negotiations relayed between the Headmistress and Sehun, Minseok eventually did enrol Sehun at Veneris, on the condition that he only stayed for half the number of hours, due to his "illness".

Minseok transferred Yixing and Junmyeon's bodies to Veneris, masked as a mural with the help of Sehun's abilities and presented as a gift to the school to avoid suspicion. The Court Mage had deemed the two men to be safer at an Academy of Magic, which had magic barriers all around, as well innumerable layers of defence.

 

As class droned on, the topics discussed left Sehun dying of boredom, which was evident in the tattered pages of his notebook and chewed pencil ends.

When the session had finally ended, Professor Park gestured him to come over, arms crossed - body language which Sehun had come to know as "I'm very disappointed in you, and I won't even try to be calm about it."

 

"Do you think that your illness exempts you from your responsibilities?" The man began, gripping on to his cane white-knuckled. "Simply being Lord Minseok's nephew does not mean that you can shirk your duties. All your classmates are working hard to someday protect this world, but here you are."

 

"Here I am." Sehun sneered, glaring at his teacher. "I don't attend, not because of my illness, but because I don't _need_ this. I don't need some disrespectful maggot telling me what to do. I don-"

 

Professor Park, in a fit of rage, grabbed Sehun by his collar. "Extend your arms."

 

"Let go-"  
 

" _Extend your arms,_ boy." The teacher repeated himself. When Sehun refused to comply, Professor Park sent small electric shocks through the boy's arms, stiffening them in place.

He raised the cane in the air, and struck the flesh of the boy's skin where welts from a previous punishment were just starting to heal.

Sehun bit his lip, trying to withstand the pain; over the six years on Earth, his body had started to become more and more human, feeling emotions that he never thought were possible and understanding what it was like to be hurt, physically and emotionally.

After the third lash, he let out a strained cry, hating how his skin burned and how his muscles ached.

 

The door of the classroom opened, but Sehun couldn't see who it was, vision blurred by his tears.

"Uh, Professor Park, apologies for my intrusion, but Headmistress Victoria wants you." An unfamiliar man spoke to the teacher, who in turn clicked his tongue and set down his cane.

 

"Fine. While I talk to her, continue punishing this student. God knows that he deserves it." He walked out of the room, momentarily turning to scowl at Sehun, who returned the sentiments. "And Jongin, don't go easy on him, I know what you're like."

 

"Yes, sir." Jongin answered politely, bowing as the older man left.

 

Sehun rolled down his sleeves, eyes downcast to avoid the man's gaze. It was humiliating to be caught mid-punishment, but what bothered him the most was that he didn't even think to use his powers, nor did he have the energy to. He knew how weak his abilities had gotten, but it only dawned on him then that he was virtually powerless, only being able to cast or summon the bare minimum.

 

"How old are you?" The man asked, inwardly cringing at glimpses of the welts underneath the boy's sleeve.

 

"Eighteen. Don't expect me to ask you, because I really don't care." Sehun responded dismissively, already turning on his heels to leave.

 

"Huh, you're in your final year already, and you're _still_ getting punished." Jongin chuckled, unintentionally provoking the boy. "But I do suppose that attitude of yours may have something to do with it."

 

Sehun shrugged, "Better than being a kiss-ass."

 

Jongin frowned, then grabbed hold of the boy's shoulder to stop him from walking away. "You really shouldn't talk like that, you've got to learn some respect, or else it'll just come back to haunt you." He warned Sehun, as if he spoke from experience.

 

The boy pushed the hand off his shoulder, "I'll respect the people who deserve it. Right now, _you_ are not one those people."

 

Offended and not wanting to be talked down to by a brat, Jongin repressed the need to lecture him, knowing that nothing good would come out of any further conversation, "…Professor Park asked me to punish you, and it would only work against me to disobey him."

 

"Oh, did I hurt your feelings?" Sehun scoffed, grabbing hold of the cane on his teacher's desk. "Just let me go, I'll fake some injuries - hell, I might even go on a spiel about how I've learnt my lesson, if I'm in a good mood."

 

"He won't believe you Sehun." Jongin drew closer, snatching the cane from his hands. "Take off your shirt."

 

"Now hold on a minute, where are you going with this?" Sehun stepped back in shock, face flushed by what he thought the older man was insinuating.

 

"Wha-? Oh… _Oh god_ no, I didn't mean it like that." Jongin blurted, shaking his head fervently. "The skin on your wrists looked sore, and canes don't usually hurt your back that much - I mean, it's still going to be painful, but it's a better option than…other places."

Jongin remembered the slaves his father owned, how he'd punish them in front of the entire household. How he smiled as he humiliated them. As he got older, Jongin started to understand how wrong his father's actions were, how much pain Kyungsoo and Chrystal had to endure; he knew he needed to punish Sehun, but being excessively cruel about it would be going against everything he tried to be.

 

"Look, just a few lashes, and it'll be over before you know it. I'll get you a salve, don't worry." Jongin reassured Sehun, who looked at him dubiously.

 

"Then why punish me in the first place if you're just going to help me in the end?!" He exclaimed, completely thrown off by the whole situation.

 

"Because this is the only piece of evidence I have that I'm doing my job correctly." Jongin sighed, understanding that he probably wasn't making any sense. "I can't disappoint my superiors this early on."

 

Sehun contemplated it for a few seconds, "…Fine, but you better give me some sweets in return." He eventually answered, albeit with great reluctance.

After removing his blazer and tie, he unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off, back facing Jongin. The cold nipped at his pale skin, sending shivers down his spine.

 

"If I give you sweets, then this isn't really a punishment is it?" Jongin laughed nervously. Flashbacks of Kyungsoo with his torn skin came back to him, but they were immediately suppressed. "Push your self against that wall - it'll make it easier for you to keep your balance."

 

Sehun did as he was told, wondering how the man managed to sound both confident and unsure of what he was doing.

"If you don't keep your promise, then-"

The cane struck him without warning, the crackle of the wood on bare skin reverberating in the air; taken off guard, Sehun screamed then immediately bit down on his bottom lip, realising how pathetic he sounded. Tears welled up in his eyes out of anger and pain.

"Jong-"

Before he could speak, the man struck him a second time. His muscles throbbed, feeling like they were being ripped apart over and over again.  Sehun's chest rose and fell rapidly with short, laboured breaths; a sheen had formed on his lips where saliva had begun dripping from his mouth.

"Ah…st-" Sehun uttered, but was once again cut short by another lash.

His body collapsed itself against the wall, the cold touch of the bricks prickling against the skin on his chest. Sehun's arms were quivering as he tried to push himself into his original position, but each strike on his back made him weak.

As Jongin continued lashing the boy, Sehun had devolved into a panting mess, his pitiful whimpers mixed with the sound of his flesh being mercilessly beaten.

Heat engulfed his body, an irritatingly warm sensation that pooled in his stomach and trickled down to his thighs.

Having never felt anything like it before, Sehun didn't want to know what it meant, or why it was even happening to him.

 

Jongin eventually stopped, wiping the sweat on his forehead. "Phew, twenty lashes. All good, I'll get the salve." Unfazed and unaware that he had completely wrecked Sehun, the man quickly left to grab some salve.

 

On the other hand, Sehun's knees had buckled, leaving him on the floor trying to regain his breath. His cheeks were a bright red, and although his back ached, he was more concerned about that odd sensation in his stomach - and whether he was in an appropriate place to inspect what exactly was happening below that.

 

As he heard footsteps drawing closer, Sehun instantly curled himself up into a ball, pressing his stomach against his legs.

Jongin returned with a damp cloth and a transparent pot filled with a green gel, not bothering to question why Sehun chose to position himself like that. Without speaking a word, the man wiped the blood from the broken skin, and rubbed the gel on Sehun's back, which was tinted pink from the welts.

 

"What…the hell…was that?" The boy muttered breathlessly, loosening his muscles as the cool substance absorbed into his wounds.

 

"Well, I had to do something worth giving you sweets over." Jongin chuckled, helping Sehun dress himself, despite the boy's rather measly protests.

 

"Then let's hurry up and go, I'm starving." Sehun began to stand up, then sat back down immediately. "Actually, could we schedule that for another time? Not really in the mood."

 

Jongin raised an eyebrow, and smiled, thinking about how endearingly weird the boy was in his head. "Okay, just come see me when you _are_ in the mood."

 

As the man left the room with his supplies, he stopped in the doorway and spun around to face Sehun. "Not this Tuesday though, I've got plans with my girlfriend."

 

"Rub it in, why don't you?" Sehun scoffed while clutching his knees closer to his body. He couldn't help but feel bitter; it had only been less than an hour since he met Jongin, and for some twisted reason, he had grown quite attached. A little too attached, he thought.

 

\---

 

 

"Help! Spare me, please!" A woman crawled on the floor of the street, surrounded by the fiery wreckage of her town.

Chanyeol slowly stepped closer, as if to tease her, eyes glowing a vibrant yellow.

 

"Now, why would I do that?" He grinned, baring his unnaturally sharp canines. Without hesitation, he submerged her body in a pool of fire, watching as her eyes melted in their sockets and her flesh bubbled on the bones.

In a matter of seconds, only her skeleton remained, charred black from the unrelenting flames.

 

Kyungsoo appeared beside him, his own eyes a milky white. He tugged on the man's shirt, and glared up at him.

 

"Stop showing off, Sol. You'll tire out that body again - his stamina is pathetically weak." Kyungsoo snarled, preparing to teleport.

 

"I don't take kindly to you insulting my medium, Luna. At least he's taller than your body." Chanyeol huffed, holding on to the smaller man.

 

"That has got nothing to do with anything, Sol, just be quiet." Kyungsoo shook his head, and in a flash of light, they disappeared, leaving behind the carnage and a trail of skeletons.

 

Upon return to their domain, the two Dragons left the bodies, abandoning them in the realm that they had created - a prototype of sorts for a new Coelestia.

Peculiarly shaped trees and plants were dotted around the barren land, erected on which were perfectly square buildings lacking any windows or doors, but just a gaping wide hole for entry and exit. Mountain ranges began and ended abruptly; deserts seemed to stretch for miles, only to then be framed by snowy tundra; and the seas were extremely shallow, not even deep enough to carry a medium-sized school of fish.

 

Chanyeol regained his senses, and groaned as he was greeted by the familiar sight around him. "Soo, they've been 'creating' again. I think they've realised that houses need doors."

 

Kyungsoo stretched his limbs, laughing mockingly as he noticed that the sky was no longer a sickly green but a pale purple. "No wonder Terra became the Overseer, those two lack any creativity or common sense."

 

A metre away from the two, a lightning bolt struck the ground followed by roaring thunder. "Don't offend them, Soo." Chanyeol craned his neck up towards the sky. "Sorry, Sol and Luna, it's _really_ nice down here. Keep at it!"

When the thunder stopped, the two snickered quietly amongst themselves.

 

Six years after crossing over realms, from the Coelestia to another unknown to them, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol had acted as Luna and Sol's mediums respectively, their bodies, but not their souls, returning to Earth to carry out the Dragons' plan. The ancient beings had yet to garner enough energy to materialise their own physical forms in the Coelestia, instead relying on the bodies of the two men.

 

The two decided to sit in the shade of Sol's first tree, which vaguely resembled a weeping willow, if that weeping willow had attempted to mimic an octopus. While the very sight of the tree irked them, it acted as a sort of anchor, reminding them that their captors weren't all-powerful, majestic creatures, but sentient beings that made mistakes and learnt from them, like humans. Except that they had a murderous streak which was undoubtedly problematic.

 

"I wonder how many people they killed this time…" Chanyeol sighed, bending his body to rest his head against Kyungsoo's shoulder while gazing at the small bird-shaped clouds in the sky. 

 

"Don't worry, I'm sure the people we love are safe. They can't die on us that easily." Kyungsoo tried to reassure his friend, but even he was beginning to doubt himself.

 

"I just want to see my father." The taller of the two mumbled, burying his face in the fabric of Kyungsoo's shirt.

 

"Me too." Kyungsoo stroked Chanyeol's hair, letting the soft black strands curl over his fingers. It pained him to think that his father might have died without the two of them properly reuniting; something always had to happen, as if some divine intervention had fated them to never cross paths again.

 

"Baekhyun's probably the Court Mage now…do you think Jongdae rebuilt his inn? And Minseok and his church? Is Sehun still alive?" Chanyeol muttered questions without waiting for their answers, until Kyungsoo eventually hushed him.

 

"Nothing else has come out of your mouth but those names for six years now. Six years, Chanyeol." Kyungsoo uttered, leaning his head on top of the taller man's. "We need to focus on fighting back." His voice was hushed, one eye warily watching his surroundings.

 

" _You've_  been saying that for six years, Soo, but do you honestly think that's possible?" Chanyeol sat up, hands clenched around the grass beneath him. "I've honestly lost track of the time, I'm only going by what those Dragons have said - if we don't even have knowledge of the  _goddamn date_ , how do you expect us to have enough manpower to defeat Sol and Luna?"

 

"First of all, knowing the date and having power aren't mutually exclusive." Kyungsoo leant back into the bark of the tree, letting the calm breeze wash over him, one of the few aspects of world-building that the Dragons handled masterfully. "Shouldn't we at least try? I mean, I know we've tried before and that didn't necessarily work out, but we can't just give up."

 

"You're being surprisingly optimistic." Chanyeol remarked, giving him a wry smile.

 

"I'm being realistic about what we can achieve. They can't exactly kill us, they _need_ us and we can use that to our advantage." Kyungsoo furrowed his eyebrows in thought and pursed his lips.

 

They contemplated the idea in silence for a few seconds, then, sounding as if he just had an epiphany, Chanyeol piped up. " Since they can't kill us…why don't I try to kill you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts on the plot so far?


	14. Change of Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: depictions of violence

Unlike the Imperial palace, the palace of Sie-Orphell was considerably less extravagant, lacking the signature floating gardens and excessive presence of flowing water; the golden insignia of the Imperial kingdom entrenched in the walls had been covered with the new Irem-Unis flag, which was a vibrant green that contrasted with the dull white of the building, instilling a sense of pride befitting that of a seat of government.

 

Having been traumatised by the events at Eris, Baekhyun had developed an irrational fear of palaces and other important places; however, it wasn't a particularly debilitating phobia, as it had more to do with the man being overly dramatic and less to do with any supposed psychological issues.

 

"You're twenty three, Baekhyun, stop making such as fuss." Minseok tried to push the man inside after dismissing the two soldiers to avoid humiliating themselves. "Get. In. Side."

 

"You can't make me Minseok. The devil resides in this place. I can _feel_ it." Baekhyun spun around, pushing back on the smaller man.

 

Jongdae delivered a kick to Baekhyun's side, laughing as the man lost his balance and fell to the floor. "Why are you like this? Were you dropped on your head as a baby?"

 

"My superior magic skills heighten my senses, Dae, I can feel everything and anything. I am one with the earth. The earth is one with me." Baekhyun closed his eyes, making exaggerated gestures in the air and miming the flow of energy into him.

 

"Scratch that, are you drunk?" Jongdae raised his eyebrow, slightly frightened by what the younger man was doing.

 

"The stress is getting to him, let's just go. I don't want to be shouted at by the Chief." Minseok pulled Baekhyun by his sleeve, joined by Jongdae, who pressed against the General's back to stop him from escaping.

 

Down the narrow corridor, light flowed in from the floor-to-ceiling windows in unbroken streams across the garnet red hallway runner and up the adjacent walls. As the trio walked past several rooms, their footsteps ringed in the silence, following a rhythmic beat of their own creation; behind the occasional door, they could overhear muted conversations or a maid sweeping the floor, but those sounds were soon lost in the palace's tranquil atmosphere.

 

The doors at the end of the corridor were open, leading into a wide hall with a large circular table in the centre, which had been reserved for meetings and the rare dinner amongst the general officers stationed in Sie-Orphell.

The trio crossed the guarded doorway and stopped at the foot of the Chief's chair.

 

"General Byun, what's the situation in the eastern sector? I heard that the Gate has been closed successfully." The Chief spoke. Though he was a man that commanded authority, there was something oddly approachable about him. His face was undeniably kind, childish even, according to some.

 

"The sequence cast by the battlemages was perhaps the most effective yet." Baekhyun began his report, his demeanor uncharacteristically serious. "I have sent word for this method to be employed across Irem-Unis, however, the farthest reaches of the republic may not receive word of it until after one week minimum.

 

"Weapons from the western republic have been deployed - the new versions have managed to channel magic into its bullets without incident." Jongdae continued from where Baekhyun left off. "This is perhaps the main reason why casualties on our side have been considerably lowered, and the troops seem to use those weapons with ease."

 

"Forgive me, I haven't yet been informed of these weapons, but what are they called?" The Chief interjected, glancing at his second-in-command, who squirmed nervously.

 

"I believe that they are a modification of the firearms produced by the Union several years ago, now going by the name of 'Cannons' by the manufacturers." Jongdae explained. The Chief nodded in silence, then signalled Minseok to end their report.

 

"During the battle, I managed to detect a mixture of souls in Zhang Kyungsoo and Kim Chanyeol, suggesting that remnants of their consciousness still remain in their bodies." Minseok uttered, watching Baekhyun and Jongdae's eyes grow wide in surprise. "Many soldiers have witnessed them teleporting, which also indicates that they do not come and go through the Gates, but _with_ the Gates."

 

"So, what does this mean for us?" The Chief leaned in, curiousity piqued.

 

"It means that the attempts at going into the Gates to confront the Dragons were in vain, as they seem to reside in a completely separate realm to the beasts they create." Minseok responded, "In order to fight them, we need to somehow teleport alongside them."

 

Jongdae chimed in, eyebrows furrowed, "But how can we know which Gates they'll appear with? Like I said before, multiple Gates have started opening at the same time."

 

Baekhyun rested his chin on his hand, tapping his upper lip with the side of his finger in thought. Then it hit him. He laughed at how obvious it was. "We establish a communication network of mages who can teleport and deliver news of Gates opening back to Sie-Orphell. I can't believe we haven't done this before."

 

"We haven't done this before because only a select few can teleport, like you." Minseok sighed, "Only five students out of the one thousand in Veneris have the required ability to cast a teleportation spell."

 

"A few is enough." Baekhyun assured the Court Mage with a confident smile.

 

"Baekhyun…you do understand that you're asking for students to be sent out on to the battlefield, right? We would be practically sacrificing _children_." Minseok snorted in disbelief.

 

"These _children_ have the ability to teleport. As in, they can get away from the situation faster than anyone else, and it's not like they won't be protected - assign two or three soldiers to each one, nothing could go wrong." Baekhyun frowned, slightly offended that Minseok would think he was that insensitive. "Well, obviously things could go wrong, but from the moment they stepped into that Academy, each student has been taught to lay down their lives for their country. This is exactly just that."

 

The Chief clapped his hands, wholeheartedly accepting of the idea. "Think of it as a way to build character, Minseok. I assure you, the army will do everything in its power to ensure that no harm comes to those children."

 

Minseok, still unconvinced, was at a disadvantage - he couldn't go against his superior, and Baekhyun held more leverage against him as a General of the army. He turned to Jongdae, who looked at him with sympathetic eyes, as if to say "There's just nothing you can do."

 

"Fine, but I want them back _alive_. They will not fight. They are only, _only_  acting as messengers." Minseok reluctantly gave in, chewing on his lip anxiously.

 

Baekhyun placed a hand on the man's shoulder, "Sorry, but we have to do this." He mumbled.

Becoming a General, or a battlemage for that matter, was nothing like Baekhyun had expected it to be; he understood that soldiers under his command would end up dying, but all the sacrifices he had to make was something he had never prepared for. The title had forced him to mature, to look out for others, to start thinking about death in a way that wasn't just an unfortunate series of events, but an inevitable part of his job.

 

The trio were dismissed as the Chief set about arranging the deployment of students with the ability to teleport.

Outside the palace, the sun was low in the sky, burning a bright orange in the distance. The city underneath began its preparations for the night: thin wisps of smoke spiraled out of the chimney tops, telling of suppers in the process of being cooked; guards chatted casually amongst themselves, ready to switch shifts with their colleagues; and Baekhyun's stomach rumbled, indicating his two friends that it was time for dinner.

 

"Minseok, I want food." Baekhyun whined, wiggling his shoulders like a child. In some ways, there were still aspects of the man that had yet to mature. "Oh, and happy birthday!"

 

" _Thanks_." Minseok rolled his eyes, suddenly remembering that he still had Sehun's small present in his pocket. He pulled it out, tearing the wrapping paper after tugging the ribbon undone.

  
"Hm, what's that?" Jongdae looked over Minseok's shoulder. There was a black box in his hand, on the lid of which was a pearl inlay in the shape of a dragon; it gleamed in the light, the colours of the gemstone shifting as the Court Mage examined it.

Slowly, Minseok lifted off the lid, revealing a silver-framed jade brooch resembling the emblem of the sun that had once adorned the walls of his church.

 

A folded piece of paper was underneath, written on it a short message:

_Sorry for burning down your church ages ago._

_I remembered seeing this image before I tried to intervene with Chanyeol's awakening._

_I made it during a transmutation lesson at Veneris._

_Proud of me?_

_\- Sehun_

_p.s. Happy Birthday old man_

 

"That kid…maybe he wants something from you?" Baekhyun laughed, though he couldn't help but admire the boy's handiwork.

 

"Maybe…" Minseok held the brooch between his thumb and index finger, captivated by the vibrant green colour. He smiled as his spirits suddenly lifted, "Come on, I'll treat you to dinner."

 

"No, it's your birthday. I'll pay." Jongdae offered, slinging his arm over the Court Mage's shoulders and leant in closer as they made their way down the road. "And Baekhyun too."

Baekhyun walked behind the other two, raising an eyebrow at Jongdae, whose cheeks turned a pale pink. Teasingly, Baekhyun made kissing faces, which only served to fluster Jongdae even more, as he started walking faster while pulling Minseok away with him.

The youngest of the three fell about laughing, while the Court Mage remained oblivious.

 

\---

 

 

At the house that Sehun shared with Minseok, Baekhyun and Jongdae, he sat on his bed, leaning against the headboard with his neck craned towards the ceiling. While his back was still sore, most of the pain had subsided, leaving behind a tight feeling in his chest.

It was an odd sensation, to say the least, completely unlike the one he felt earlier that day; he wondered whether it was common for the Children of Man to feel this way, or perhaps it was a side effect of his waning powers.

 

Being a Dragon, there were certain elements of himself that were vastly different from normal humans. He understood the idea of affection, after all, he had adored his father and his brothers once before, but the idea of sexuality was lost on him. Dragons needn't reproduce, they simply existed, and having a mate was seen as unnecessary in the Dracones, even looked down upon as there was a stigma against emulating human relationships.

 

But if that was the case, why was he feeling this way? Why did his heart sink at the thought of Jongin having a girlfriend? Why did he want the man to pull him in, hold him and never let go?

 

"Arrgh, damn it!" Sehun slid down on to the bed, burying his face in his pillows.

Downstairs, the front door opened as the three men burst in. Though Sehun couldn't see them, he could certainly hear them.

 

Hurried footsteps ran up the stairs, wooden boards creaking under the weight, "Got to pee got to pee got to pee." The muffled sound of Jongdae's voice echoed in the landing of the upper floor.

 

"Sehun!" Baekhyun called from the ground floor hallway, "Join us for dinner, Jongdae's treat!"

Wanting to clear his mind of thoughts of Jongin, Sehun happily joined.

 

At night, the pub seemed to come to life. Where a few starving stragglers would usually come in during the day, a hub of gossip and endless flowing beer had flourished: musicians played on their fiddles, singing tales of the great heroes of old; barmaids skillfully avoided the indecent touches of leering men; and men and women alike chatted over freshly cooked roasts, laughing with joy and exchanging the day's rumours. It was a place to escape the turmoil of war, and everyone planned to keep it that way.

 

Sehun sat at the table, silently listening to the older men's conversations as he pushed his broccoli around his plate.

"Yeah, Hyunsik told me that…" Baekhyun began his usual spiel on the soldiers under his command, but the buzz of the crowd around him drowned his voice out for Sehun.

The boy shifted his gaze to a couple in the corner, their faces obscured. From the way the woman's shoulders shook with laughter and the man leaned in, infatuated by her, Sehun could tell they were happy.

He looked upwards, noticing two men pressed against a wooden beam on the landing, their lips interlocked and hands passionately caressing each other's bodies. Sehun instantly averted his gaze, instead choosing to look intensely at the sole vegetable sitting in a pool of gravy on his plate. Although he probably wasn't meant to see that, strange thoughts began to fill his mind. What if that had been him and Jongin?

 

Sehun shook his head vigorously, a warm heat spreading in his cheeks. They were red, he could tell they were red.

"Err…Sehun? Are you okay?" Minseok waved his hand in front of the boy's face, who had fallen into a daze.

The boy in question bit down on his lip, struggling to find the words to express how he was feeling. "No, I feel sick." He replied briefly, not wanting to give anymore details.

 

"I'll take him home, you two can stay here." Baekhyun rose from his seat, a rather obvious grin on his lips. "Come on."

The General led Sehun out of the pub, rubbing small circles on his back while turning to glance at Minseok and Jongdae, the latter of which was glaring at him. Baekhyun winked and returned his attention to Sehun.

Embarrassed about being punished earlier that day, Sehun remained silent even though his wounds hadn't fully healed yet and the rough fabric was hurting him.

  
"Seriously though, Sehun, you look awful. What happened?" Baekhyun asked with genuine concern, noticing how unusually pale the boy looked.

 

"I…" Sehun groaned, a stinging sensation spreading from his welts to the small of his back. Unable to bear the pain anymore, he swerved around, moving away from Baekhyun's touch. "…I think the chicken was raw. Don't touch me, you might induce vomiting."

 

Baekhyun stared at him for a second, then fell into hysterics.

 

Back at the table, Jongdae had started fiddling with the lobe of his ear, stealing glances at Minseok who was busy chewing on his mashed potatoes.

"So…uhm." Jongdae mustered the courage to finally say something, avoiding any direct eye contact with the older man. "Minseok…I, um."

 

After swallowed his food, Minseok looked at him intently, "Jongdae, I know you like me."

 

"Wh-..ho-…w-what?" Jongdae's voice went an octave higher as he squeaked out a string of incomprehensible words. "Are you psychic? And _how_ can you say that so confidently?"

 

Minseok shrugged, a sly grin forming on his face as he watched the man fumble in his seat, acting completely unlike his usual self. "It's nice to see you look flustered once in a while."

 

"You didn't answer my question." Jongdae frowned, displeased that he had been the one being teased for once.

 

"Maybe it's the five years that I have on you - experience comes with age, after all. Plus, you aren't exactly…reserved with your affections." Minseok swirled the beer in his glass, revelling in the knowledge that he had the upper hand.

 

"No…I mean…well, do _you_ like me? And you better give me a straight answer, or I'm leaving." Jongdae warned, pointing his thumb at the open doors.

 

Minseok sighed, tilting his head to the side, "Jongdae, I like you, I really do. Not just in a friendly way either, but in a 'I want to fuck you until you cry' kind of way-"

 

"-Shit, that's graphic." Jongdae jumped slightly in his seat, taken aback by the man's crude words, which was an odd contrast to his deceivingly young face. "How much have you been drinking?"

 

"Mmm…lost count. I could say more, but we're in public." The Court Mage answered nonchalantly, "I like you, but I'm way too busy with work, the war, dealing with the Dragons. I don't have the time for relationships. I wouldn't have the time for you."

 

"…Do we _have_ to be in a relationship?" Jongdae grinned, returning to his usual self as the nervousness all but disappeared.

 

 

\---

 

 

"No, why can't _I_ kill _you_." Kyungsoo uttered, less than pleased that he himself would have to be the target of violence.

 

"You're missing out the _try_. _Try_ to kill you." Chanyeol corrected him.

 

"Oh, did I?" The smaller of the two remarked in a condescending tone, feigning ignorance. "Must've slipped my mind."

 

"Okay, okay, how about we decide with rock-paper-scissors?" Chanyeol suggested, slightly unnerved by Kyungsoo's willingness to murder his friend.

 

"Deal." Kyungsoo smiled confidently, putting his hand out at the ready.

 

After three rounds, Chanyeol had ultimately lost, ending with the man flopping on to the ground dramatically and screaming into the grass. The smaller man rolled him over with the bridge of his foot, leaving Chanyeol's body sprawled on the vibrant green grass beneath him.

 

"Go easy on me, okay?" Chanyeol chuckled, his blood running cold as Kyungsoo hovered over him, eventually straddling his stomach.

Kyungsoo hummed in agreement as he wrapped his hands around Chanyeol's neck, slowly applying pressure.

 

"Wait, actually, I don't thi-" Chanyeol shifted his head, grabbing on to Kyungsoo's wrist.

Suddenly, the smaller man pressed harder, squeezing tighter as the soft flesh underneath his hands constricted, eliciting a choked gasp of air from Chanyeol's mouth.

Chanyeol's legs squirmed underneath Kyungsoo, the heels of his feet digging into the soil. "Kyu-" He spluttered, mouth agape trying to breathe.

Kyungsoo looked up at the sky anxiously, hoping for a reaction from Sol and Luna; when there was none, he gripped the man's slender neck with a greater force. With eyes practically rolling into his head, saliva slid down Chanyeol's cheek, bottom lip quivering as the world slowly turned black.

 

When Chanyeol opened his eyes, a cloudy mist surrounded him. _Heaven_ was his first thought, but when he stretched out his arm, he found that his body was not his known; the clothes were different, and the fingers far more calloused.

While staring in confusion, Chanyeol noticed a glare in the space before him, as if light was peeking through a window. He soon realised that it was a wall, albeit a translucent one, beyond which stood a concrete room.

Before Chanyeol could fully comprehend what he was seeing, the world faded into darkness once again.

 

After opening his eyes for a second time, he woke to find Kyungsoo's lips pressed against his own, forcing air into the Chanyeol's mouth in an attempt to rescuscitate him; Kyungsoo's eyes were shut tight, eyelashes wet with tears.

Chanyeol slid his hand through Kyungsoo's hair, cupping the back of his head as he rolled the both of them over. As their bodies tumbled over each other, Kyungsoo made a sound of surprise as he soon found himself lying underneath the man he had thought was dead.

Before he could say anything, Chanyeol leant in to kiss him, teeth clashing surprisingly hard as their mouths met.

 

"Ow, Chanyeol, what are you doing?" Kyungsoo mumbled, pushing Chanyeol's face away while he clenched and unclenched his jaw to ease the pain.

 

"T-trying to kiss you?" Chanyeol replied hesitantly, face flushed from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

 

Kyungsoo muttered a soft "Oh", slowly covering his face with his hands in embarrassment. "I thought you were going to get back at me by knocking out my teeth." He said, voice muffled.

 

"Just…nevermind." Chanyeol stood up, staggering away from Kyungsoo's body feeling rather dejected. "That was stupid. Forget it ever happened."

 

Unsure of whether he meant the plan or the kiss, Kyungsoo chose to stay silent, butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

 

While the two remained quiet, their consciousness began to waver as their souls were tucked away into the depths of an unknown place.

From the sky, two entities simultaneously fell, filling the now empty vessels residing on the realm of their own creation; their souls seeped into the cracks, replacing what once was there.

 

In a matter of seconds, the bodies of the two men were teleported to the Coelestia, the glow of a Gate radiating beside them.

 

Chanyeol turned to Kyungsoo, yellow-eyed and lips furled into an arrogant smile, "Well that was interesting."

 

"Shut up, Sol, don't make this anymore awkward than it already is." Kyungsoo scoffed, leaving the man to begin carving a path of destruction on the earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Planning on posting a side chapter after this - "In Nine Years"  
> Can you guess what it's about?


	15. Side Chapter: In Nine Years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: depictions of violence
> 
> A very short chapter about two moments in Yixing and Kyungsoo's lives

News of a hijacked coach reached Tenilur after half a day.

The town mourned for their lost sons and daughters for half a year.

Families moved on, accepting that their children would never come back after half a decade.

 

But it only took Yixing half a second to vow that he would find Kyungsoo, even if it meant spending the rest of his life searching.

 

\---

 

"Yixing?" Amber poked her head through the front door, only to find the living room empty and the sound of boiling water coming from the kitchen.

The woman sighed sadly as she remembered the familiar smell - a smell that opened up wounds long since healed, that delved into that empty place in her heart, that echoed lonely words from the silence.

 

It was the smell of pasta.

 

Usually, when people think of pasta, they imagine warm, hearty meals around the dining table with their relatives, or a delicious hassle-free lunch with a loved one. When Amber thought of pasta, unpleasant memories of Yixing attempting to cook resurfaced, which was truly a traumatic experience.

 

Without waiting to be invited in, Amber ran to the kitchen, almost slipping on the stone floor in her haste. As Yixing began swirling the contents of the pot, Amber swiped the wooden spoon from his hands, leaving the merchant both surprised and slightly irritated.

 

"Amber, I only almost burnt down my house twice. I've learnt kitchen safety, I even went to a housewifery class!" Yixing exclaimed, exasperated by his friend constantly doubting his cooking skills. He snatched the wooden spoon back, returning to stir the tomato sauce; beside him, the noodles had been drained, steam rising from the surface.

 

The woman scratched the back of her head, clicking her tongue, "You're a walking safety hazard Yixing. I can't help but worry."

 

Shaking his head in disappointment, Yixing set his spoon down and gently led her away from the kitchen. "You don't need to worry, because I am an observant individual who ca- crap, the garlic bread."

Realising that the scent of burning baguette slices wasn't just his imagination, Yixing practically sprinted to the brick oven and with a nearby poker, he hurriedly scraped out its contents away the roaring fire, black chunks of severely burnt garlic bread flying on to the floor.

 

"Now what did I say?" Amber grinned smugly, arms folded as if to say "I told you so".

 

Unwilling to say anything more out of fear of further damaging his pride, Yixing mumbled, "Don't just stand there, help me make some spaghetti."

 

Amber obliged, and the two set about finishing the dish together.

 

By noon, Amber said her farewells with a wrapped plate of spaghetti in her hands, leaving to return to her shop as her sister's shift was almost at an end.

 

Yixing packed a picnic basket and went to the hill beside his house, a giant oak tree perched on top. Although it wasn't a particularly strenuous task, the closer the man got to the peak, the heavier the basket felt. When the shifting shadows of the leaves on the outstretched branches loomed over him, his heart felt like it had sunk in his chest, leaving a hollow cavity where it once was.

 

Carefully, he laid out the checkered blanket over the recently cut grass and set out a lunch for two. In the centre, a small birthday cake with ten candles had been placed, which had been laboriously decorated by Yixing.

Between the candles and on the frosting, a piece of chocolate in the shape of a crescent moon was arranged, on which a smiling face was drawn with white icing.

 

The man closed his eyes, letting the cool breeze run through his hair, and spoke the words he had been wanting to say for a long time, "Happy birthday, Kyungsoo."

 

Like the fleeting day, the message had soon been lost in the summer's tide, an ebbing wind carrying the words to a far away place.

 

\---

 

 

With a blanket over his and Jongin's head, Kyungsoo slowly opened the clumsily wrapped present given to him by the boy, revealing a handmade wooden figurine.

 

"Wow, how long did this take you?" Kyungsoo patted Jongin's head, smiling proudly.

 

"A whole day! Do you like it?" Jongin replied enthusiastically, a slight lisp to his voice due to the gap between his teeth.

 

"Yep, it's really good, you should make more." The older boy examined the figurine, noticing the little scratches on the surface where Jongin's hand most likely slipped. "I could never do this."

 

"Why don't you try with me next time? I'll ask my papa." Jongin asked, unaware of the possible consequences of his suggestion.

 

Kyungsoo simply shook his head, "I can't Jongin, I'm not allowed…your papa doesn't like me."

 

"What do you mean? My papa always talks about you, I think he really likes you!" Jongin pouted, his innocence so plainly obvious. In most cases, such a trait would have been endearing, but it left the older boy constantly anxious of his resulting actions. 

 

Kyungsoo's blood turned cold, a lump forming in his throat. "N-no, Jongin, just show me what you make next time, okay?"

 

The younger boy shrugged, "If you say so."

 

Behind the door, a muffled voice called out Jongin's name. It had been Chrystal, who was on the lookout for the maids supposed to be tending to the young master.

 

Jongin frowned, not wanting his time with Kyungsoo to end, "I've got to go, I'll see you tomorrow - and happy birthday again!" The boy quickly threw the blanket off his head and made his way to the door, waving a final goodbye to Kyungsoo as he left.

 

Kyungsoo remained sitting on the floor, listening to the sound of footsteps and hushed whispers gradually turn to silence outside his door. He rested his head against the edge of his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Another night spent alone was another night worrying about the following day: whether he would be deemed useless, cast aside, and sold to another family; whether those vulgar glances and indecent touches from Mr. Kim would escalate to something much more frightening; whether Jongin would begin treating him like dirt when he finally understood the household hierarchy.

Day in, day out, it was a constant struggle of finding a balance between knowing he was human and knowing that he would never be treated like one. The boy was only ten, and he already had found the blurred line where humanity and barbarity merged. Where a man's kind words at first could mean so much more.

 

The light of the full moon flooded the narrow room in it's blueish white glow, mixing with the dimmed yellow of the candlelight. Entranced, Kyungsoo stared at the moon, which was partially obscured by the windowpane.

Memories of a tired man lifting him in the air, snapping him from his daze, filled the boy's mind. The same man who made him spaghetti on his birthdays, who worried endlessly about his health, who loved him unconditionally even though Kyungsoo shied away from reciprocating his kindness. The man was his father, and Kyungsoo regretted not realising how much he loved him.

It was too late, and all the boy wanted to was to be by his side again.

 

\---

 

 

"Right, Mr. Zhang, here's the address. They expect the goods to have arrived by the end of the week." The courier tilted his cap, and carried on his way.

 

Despite setting up shop in Tenilur, Yixing found himself yearning to return to the road at times and with the help of Amber, he decided to set up a delivery service once again, now having the experience on his belt.

The destination was tucked away in an admittedly unknown location, even surprising the merchant by how obscure the area was. Nonetheless, the client was waiting, and it would have been a matter of pride if he refused.

 

Two days on the road left him exhausted, having become used to the comparatively leisurely lifestyle of a shopkeeper. Reaching the wrought iron gates of the estate gave him a sense of accomplishment - the delivery was successful, much unlike his previous ones in the past, which had all ended disastrously.

 

"Delivery for the Kim household!" Yixing announced, halting his horse at the gate.

After the guards inspected his cart, they opened the gates, allowing the man entrance. Observing the dense cluster of trees that framed the gravel road to the mansion, Yixing wondered how a businessman as involved with trading as Mr. Kim could afford to be so closed off from the world.

 

As he reached the front of the mansion, two servants greeted him and began unloading the goods.

While Yixing waited for the payment to arrive, a young boy hidden behind one of the marble pillars peeked out at him. The man smiled warmly, waving at the boy.

Much to his surprise, he began to walk over, lacking any caution whatsoever.

 

"Hello, what's your name?" Yixing leant forward in his cart seat as the boy approached.

 

"I'm Jongin. What's yours?" Jongin answered politely. As he spoke, the gaps in his teeth revealed itself, and Yixing couldn't help but wonder if most of Kyungsoo's milk teeth had fallen out already.

 

"That's a lovely name,  Jongin. I'm Zhang Yixing, a merchant." Yixing replied, watching the boy rock back and forth on the balls of his feet.

 

"Oh!" Jongin exclaimed, having recalled hearing that surname before. "Are you Kyu-"

 

"Jongin!" Mr. Kim called out the boy's name sternly, striding to the cart with an envelope in his hand. "Pardon my boy, he's a talkative one." The businessman turned to his son, and ordered him to return to the house. Jongin reluctantly did as he was told, glancing at Yixing with sullen eyes.

 

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Kim. Truth be told, he reminds me of my own son." Yixing laughed. Mr. Kim chuckled, passing him the envelope.

 

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Zhang, I thank you for coming out to the middle of nowhere." Mr. Kim spoke apologetically, then signalled his servants to lead the merchant out with a basket of food. "A gift for the road - it must have been a tough journey."

 

"No, not at all." Yixing waved him off, thanking the servants as they placed the basket in his cart.

 

When Yixing began to leave the estate, Mr. Kim retreated back into his home, a scowl on his face.

  
"Fucking Union scum, they're everywhere." The man muttered as he sat himself down in the living room, gesturing for a servant to bring him his tea.

Kyungsoo had been sweeping the adjacent hallway, trying to conceal the grimace on his face after hearing the man's words; those derogatory slurs were common in the Imperial kingdom, and it boiled the boy's blood in the knowledge that his father had been the target of those insults in the past.

 

While lost in thought, Jongin appeared beside him, tapping his shoulder, "Kyungsoo, do you know a Zhang Yixing?"

 

The older boy's eyes went wide, and instantly shushed the boy, "Where did you hear that name?"

 

"Well, you told me that your last name is Zhang, and there was a merchant just outs-" Jongin began, but was

immediately interrupted by the sound of a broom hitting the floor.

 

Without hesitating, Kyungsoo burst out the front door and dashed up the road to the gates.

 

He slammed into the wrought iron as he stopped himself, and screamed at the top of his lungs, "FATHER!"

 

Kyungsoo could see it, he could make out a cart in the distance, "FATHER!"

 

_Turn around, turn around, turn around and…_ , the thoughts repeated in his head, yet to be vocalised, "…SAVE ME!"

 

Though his throat was straining, and the tears were blurring his vision, Kyungsoo screamed with all the hope and sadness and pain pent up in his heart.

 

Hands held him back, gripping at his shirt, covering his mouth and silencing his voice; they were hostile, blind to humanity. Only the barbarity that Kyungsoo had long since known remained.

 

\---

 

 

On the way back to Tenilur, Yixing caught sight of a bird's nest that had fallen from a branch. Inside, a frightened baby sparrow chirped helplessly, still unable to fly.

 

Taking pity on the bird, he stroked its head gently, "Hmm, I wonder where your family is."

 

Yixing looked around aimlessly, only to find naught that could tell him of a worried parent sparrow. Unable to leave the sparrow out of fear for its safety, Yixing deliberated on making a companion out of it, whilst feeling a twinge of guilt for possibly separating the bird from its family completely.

 

In the distance, he could hear a noise, a cry. It buzzed in the air, ringing out before disappearing in a rush of wind, hidden in the rustle of the tree leaves.

 

"Maybe that was a sign that I shouldn't take you." Yixing laughed quietly, cupping the little bird in his hands. When the sparrow nuzzled in the crook of his hands, chirping merrily, Yixing ultimately decided against leaving it behind.

 

"Come on then." The merchant smiled, returning to his cart with a new friend by his side.

 

Unfortunately, the sparrow which he fondly called "Birdie" hadn't survived the journey back. Perhaps it was the heat, or a problem with its organs, but Yixing thought the most likely answer was that it died from a broken heart after being separated from its family.

He regretted bringing the sparrow back with him, and occasionally wondered whether it could have been soaring in the sky had it not been for his decision.

 

Several days after his return to Tenilur, he received a message from the Kim household that their contract with him was to be terminated, the only reason being "A more reliable supplier has been found".

Though it left a bitter taste in his mouth, Yixing much rather preferred to not travel to the middle of nowhere again.

He threw the note in the fire, watching the paper slowly turn into a pile of ash.

 

What the man didn't see was the lashes of a whip laced in the ink, the blood-stained fingers that had held the paper, and the screams of a lonely boy embedded in the words as they all but disappeared in the flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to make this happy, I really did.  
> :(
> 
> I'll return to the main plot for the next chapter!


	16. An Unspoken Thought

Amidst the noise of the evening, a young couple chose to stay in bed, letting just the moonlight illuminate their bodies. The candle flame swayed to the rhythm of their breaths, flickering as the bed sheets crinkled underneath outstretched limbs, twisted in a yearning grip.

Eventually, the passion waned, leaving the two intertwined in a warm embrace.

 

"Jongin…" Chrystal mumbled against the crook of her boyfriend's neck, "Let's go out tomorrow."

 

"Hm? We've just gone out today." Jongin tucked Chrystal's hair behind her ear, staring intently at her face, "Anyway, I've got plans."

 

Chrystal chuckled, holding on tighter to his body, "Tired of me already?" She teased.

 

"It's just a guy, I promised I'd buy him some sweets." Jongin answered, running his hand down to the small of his girlfriend's back.

 

"Oh?" Chrystal raised her eyebrow, a grin forming on her lips.

 

Jongin frowned, "It's not like that."

 

 

The next morning, Jongin left for Veneris, a hastily made packed lunch in his bag. Chrystal would always try her best to cook, but as an experience battlemage, the woman was often needed at the barracks to train the newcomers.

After Chrystal's hometown of Tenilur had been razed to the ground by Sol and Luna three weeks prior, the couple had moved to Sie-Orphell, soon establishing a routine wherein Chrystal worked to defend the city, while Jongin settled into his teaching career at the Veneris Academy of Magic.

While the man liked to call it a "teaching career", truth be told, he hadn't a speck of magic wielding skills in his blood and had become more of an assistant to his superiors rather than a teacher in his own right. Still, Jongin was being paid, and that was the most important thing, as he didn't have a penny to his name after eloping with Chrystal years ago.

 

The red brick walls of the Academy drew closer, its black tiled roof fading into the grey fog of the morning. Jongin sighed, knowing that another day of being made to run around like a dog was awaiting him, just behind those gargantuan oak doors that seemed to stretch on for miles above his head.

Originally being an all girl's school, remnants of Veneris' past still lingered in its halls, from the inspirational portraits of female pioneers to the emphasis on family and traditional feminine activities rooted into the curriculum. Boys and girls alike were expected to learn how to sew, cook, clean, and utilise basic first aid.

It was perhaps due to this ethos that Jongin could successfully crochet a doily.

 

"Ah, Jongin." Professor Park appeared beside him, dressed in his teaching robes, "How did Sehun's punishment go last Friday? I hope you didn't go easy on the boy, I know how you're like."

 

"I caned his back until it bled." Jongin replied nonchalantly, opening the entrance to the main hallway.

 

Professor Park stared at him in disbelief, eyes widened and mouth agape. "Th-that's certainly…unlike you, Jongin. I must say, I'd rather not get on your bad side." He laughed nervously, shifting slightly away from the younger man.

 

As the Professor left for his office, Jongin mulled over the man's reaction, contemplating whether or not he could use his punishment of Sehun to his advantage. However, after realising that it would be a heartless thing to do, Jongin pushed aside those thoughts and continued on his way to assist with Lord Minseok's first lesson.

 

The Court Mage had been arranging the materials for a transmutation lesson, having been inspired by Sehun's present and wanting to test the boy's skills, when Jongin entered the classroom.

 

"Lord Minseok," Jongin bowed, a greeting he had grown accustomed to giving after several years.

 

"Jongin, good to have you here." The older man smiled. Jongin had great respect for Minseok, not just because he was the Court Mage, but because he treated his subordinates as equally as he did his other colleagues. "I'll be teaching a transmutation lesson. Do you mind watching over the students to make sure they don't suddenly turn each other into frogs?"

 

The younger man nodded eagerly, "I'd love to, sir."

 

"By the way Jongin, Minseok is fine. All the teachers call me that." Minseok told him whilst double-checking the volumes of the dirt solutions.

 

"But you're a Lord, it would be disrespectful…" Jongin spoke, voice trailing off.

 

Flashbacks of a young Baekhyun came to Minseok's mind, noting the stark contrast in attitudes between the two. "Titles are trivial little things - actions speak louder than words, Jongin, there are definitely much worse ways of showing disrespect." The Court Mage laughed, easing the younger man's unnecessary worrying.

 

When the students began filing in, the room erupted into cheers as they noticed the transmutation equipment laid out on their desks - for some, it meant a lesson of messing around, or doing absolutely nothing as they feigned exhaustion from casting "too many" spells.

 

Sehun sat down at his seat, having always been punctual to Minseok's lessons. The boy tried to hide his smile after spotting that his spellbook had been opened up to a page with a green brooch, the same one he had made for Minseok's birthday.

 

Jongin caught sight of the little smile on Sehun's face, walking up to the boy to ask what was going on.

 "You look happy - are you in the mood for sweets now?" Jongin grinned, jabbing him lightly in the ribs.

 

Even seeing Jongin's face made Sehun's heart want to burst with some alien emotion: the feeling crawled around in his heart, constricting it in its unyielding grasp. "I..er…yeah, sure. I'm free." Sehun bumbled out, failing to sound as unperturbed as he had wanted.

 

"Wait here after school." With that, Jongin left to attend to the other students, who had began panicking about a tentacled creature rising from a dirt solution.

Sehun cursed under his breath, wishing that he hadn't been so flustered. Perhaps time would eventually alleviate the symptoms of his infatuation with Jongin, but the boy had hoped it would happen sooner than later.

 

When the clock struck four, the school bells chimed, which was soon followed by the rush of students leaving their chairs and flooding the hallways, relieved that Monday was almost over.

Jongin re-entered Minseok's classroom to find Sehun sitting on the desk with his leg crossed, casually reading a book. It would have been a convincing setting had Sehun not clumsily dropped the novel when Jongin greeted him.

 

The older man burst out laughing, "Were you even reading? Or did you just want to look cool?"

 

Although Sehun didn't answer, the bright red blush that faded down his neck had spoken plenty.

"I was reading before you rudely interrupted me." The boy muttered, picking up the book from the floor.

 

"Alright, alright. Let's go, I'll take you to a bakery." Jongin smiled warmly and began to walk out, gesturing Sehun to follow.

The boy concluded that it would take more than time for him to get over Jongin.

 

At the bakery, Sehun picked out as many pastries, cakes and biscuits as he could in an attempt to spite the man, but Jongin had been more than happy to buy everything, despite the boy's unreasonableness.

 

"For such a thin boy, you sure do eat a lot." Jongin remarked before taking a bite from a cream custard tart that he had bought for himself.

 

"I'm growing, what do you expect?" Sehun shrugged, then stuffed his face with chocolate cake. The pair had decided to sit on a bench in the nearby park, which had been underneath the shade of a willow tree that bordered a small stream.

 

"How's your back?" Jongin asked, turning to the boy. "Actually, no, how are _you_?"

 

Sehun gulped, unable to turn his eyes away from the man. In all honesty, the boy himself didn't know how he was feeling. He couldn't tell Jongin that he would think about him at night, mapping out the details of his face in his mind. He couldn't tell Jongin how he'd try to remember his voice, how it would send shivers down his body every time he thought about it. He _certainly_ couldn't tell Jongin how he'd lay sprawled on his bed sheets, touching himself, moaning the man's name, pleading to be touched and to be held, to feel the man inside him. To _break_ him, wrecking him until he was a pathetic mess of tears and filthy begging.

But of course, some things were better left unsaid.

 

"Sehun?" Jongin snapped his fingers, chuckling at how the boy jumped in his seat, flinching as if there had been a bee hovering beside him. "Are you going to answer my question?"

 

Sehun merely looked at the man as if he was speaking a foreign language, before returning to his senses, "Oh! I-I'm fine, thanks, and you?" He stammered, eyes downcast while he rolled a ball of crust in between his fingers.

 

"I'm great! I mentioned you to Chrystal, and I'm pretty sure she likes you." Jongin commented, ruffling the boy's hair, the blond strands contrasting against his own tanned skin.

 

It was always that one little detail that brought Sehun back to reality - his fantasies were just his fantasies, never having a chance of coming true. No matter how much he pined for Jongin, the fact remained that the man loved someone else. He had no part to play in their relationship, which had so long been established that no mere stranger with passionate affections could ever break it.

Sehun wanted his obsession to end before he could ever dream of vocalising his thoughts.

 

\---

 

Jongdae left early that morning after being summoned by Major Liu to an outpost one mile away from the city: sightings of a rupture, indicating the formation of a Gate, had been reported, and no one wanted to take any risks by ignoring it.

 

After the Friday night at the pub, Minseok and Jongdae's relationship seemed to have reached a peculiar point, neither good nor bad, but still quite odd. What once had been rather innocent touches with playful intentions blossomed into confident ass-grabbing and passionate kisses against bedroom walls.

However, their loud displays of affection hadn't been the problem.

The problem was the appearance of the Angelus.

 

In a sour mood, Minseok lay in bed, still grumpy from the previous night, "I can't believe I got cock-blocked by a spirit." He muttered, kicking off the duvet in anger.

Rolling off the mattress, the awful memories came back to him, making him want to tear out his hair in frustration.

 

As things had started to get heated, the black phantom materialised beside their bed, practically pulling Minseok away by his neck. To make matters worse, the man was flung across the room, and instead of being worried or annoyed, Jongdae fell about laughing while trying to explain that it wasn't his doing.

Once the Angelus disappeared, nothing else eventful had happened for the rest of the night.

 

Minseok concluded that rather than being Lady Taeyeon's final gift to the earth, she had in fact cursed Jongdae for the rest of his life, or at least that was how he had interpreted it.

 

"That stupid…" The Court Mage grumbled as he trudged downstairs, only to find a slightly annoyed Sehun already in his school uniform waiting by the door. As he swerved his head to look at the clock in the lounge, he soon realised that he only had twenty minutes until lessons started. "Oh shit."

 

After running around like a headless chicken trying to get ready, Minseok finally left the house and made his way to Veneris with Sehun in tow.

 

Meanwhile at the outpost, Jongdae had successfully summoned the Angelus - this time of his own accord, rather than by some twist of fate. His soldiers watched in awe as the spirit glided over to the rupture, letting itself seep into the fracture to neutralise the intense white light with its own muted darkness; in a matter of seconds, the distorted waves stabilised and the air remained still.

 

Jongdae breathed out a sigh of relief, having relied on luck and brief observations of the Angelus during past battles, "Glad that worked out," He mumbled, barely audible to the other men, "Keep an eye on this area in case anything shows itself, but other than that, you can all go home."

 

On his return back to Sie-Orphell, Jongdae wondered how the Angelus always managed to find its way back to him, and how its list of abilities seemed to be endless: from closing Gates to effectively ruining his chances of having sex with anyone ever again. The phantom was both a curse and a blessing, but the fact remained that Jongdae was somewhat indebted to the Angelus. Without the spirit, he would have most likely spent the rest of his life wasting away at his family's inn or even killed by Sol and Luna's energy surge.

 

"To think I owe my entire life to that damned thing." Jongdae chuckled as he walked in the shade of the privet trees, the gravel path crunching beneath his feet. Although he didn't like to admit it, the man had become attached to the silent spirit with a frightening appearance. Somewhere along the line, its presence didn't scare him anymore, but instead, the lack of it made him quite…sad.

It was perhaps this reason that Jongdae didn't mind so much when the Angelus interrupted him and Minseok.

But of course, some things were better left unsaid.

 

Deciding to visit Minseok at Veneris, Jongdae changed his route, which just so happened to be a relatively more well-lit path under the direct light of the sun.

It dawned on Jongdae that seeing the sun reminded him of Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, before they were possessed by Sol and Luna. Memories of phoenix rides and sizzling clouds would always come back to him, bringing a smile to his face.

 

Upon entering the Academy grounds with a visitor's pass from the main reception, Jongdae knocked on Minseok's office door and came in, revealing the Court Mage, who was relaxing in his chair with a cup of tea in his hands.

"As hardworking as ever, I see." Jongdae smirked, closing the door and taking a seat beside the man's desk.

 

"You wouldn't believe." Minseok rolled his eyes, setting his teacup down, "I missed the Headmistress' briefing with me in the morning, but she had just automatically assumed I was away on business. The things you can get away with, huh?"

 

"Well it's nice to see that you aren't abusing your powers, Minseok." Jongdae leant back in his seat, fighting the urge not to rest his feet up on Minseok's desk, which would always irritate the man.

 

"Not to be rude, Dae, but why are you visiting me?" Minseok asked, wiping a drop of tea dribbling down the side of his cup out of habit.

 

"What? Can't I see my boyfriend?" Jongdae replied, half-teasing half-serious.

 

Minseok frowned, "How many times do I have to say it, Jongdae. We can't be in a relationship. It's impossible - you're busy, I'm busy. Just…don't, okay?" The Court Mage turned his head side to side, massaging his neck with one hand, "Plus, I don't want to be threatened by your Angelus every time I try to kiss you."

 

"It's not _my_ Angelus, it's _the_ Angelus. You make it sound like I care about the thing." Jongdae corrected him, slightly annoyed. "And I can't help it when it just appears out of the blue!"

 

_"Your_ Angelus appears out of the blue because you actually do care about it." Minseok said without breaking eye contact with the man, "Heck, you even told me that your entire career relies on it."

 

"Just because I rely on it doesn't mean I give a rat's ass about it," Jongdae scoffed, "I'd give anything to be free of it - I mean, there are plenty of other jobs out there, I could even return of innkeeping. I'm sure some poor soul can make use of the Angelus."

 

Minseok pursed his lips, deliberating over the man's words for a second, "We can try to detach itself from you again. If I organise an exorcism with the other teachers, it may be successful." He suggested.

 

"It doesn't seem to be angry with me anymore, so why not?" Jongdae shrugged, accepting the offer dismissively. "It'll probably find its way back to me anyway."

 

Once the school day had finished, Minseok gathered his colleagues in the hall with a bundle of scrolls in his arms. As they commenced the ritual, Jongdae stepped into the circle, quite nervous as his first exorcism ended with permanent scarring on his arms.

 

"Relax, Jongdae, everyone here is adequately experienced in this sort of thing." Minseok assured, followed by sounds of agreement from the other teachers.

 

"Don't worry, I'm not doubting your skills." Jongdae smirked.

Truth be told, he was less anxious about incurring the Angelus' wrath if the exorcism were to fail, but more anxious about what would happen if it were to succeed. Jongdae didn't even have to dig deep into his heart to realise he actually _liked_ the spirit, despite how much he denied it. It was weird, dangerous and above all, ungodly in appearance, but something about it reminded Jongdae of a child still trying to adapt to the world around it.

Some part of him even  _pitied_ the Angelus.

 

As black liquid poured from Jongdae's orifices, darkening his vision and surrounding him with eerie echoes, the spirit took form within the confines of the magic circle.

Unexpectedly, it had left his body calmly, not showing a hint of aggravation as it appeared before Jongdae.

 

When streams of purple light emerged from the circumference of the circle, it morphed into thin wires that wrapped tightly around the Angelus, constricting it slowly. Painfully.

The spirit shrieked the same high-pitched wail, causing the teachers to flinch in surprise.

Amidst the wails, Jongdae heard a cry, low but still audible, but the man attributed it one of the many sounds ringing in his ears.

It writhed hopelessly, unable to defend itself, as its skeletal body was torn apart underneath the black cloak.

 

In a matter of seconds, the phantom's existence began to dismantle, the darkness fragmenting in the grip of the light wires. All the while, it stared at Jongdae with its hollow eyes that gave way to no emotion, transfixed with the man's face.

There was no hostility, just helplessness, as its body disintegrated, all but evaporating into the air in a cloud of black fumes.

Jongdae stared in silence: he hadn't predicted that the Angelus would disappear entirely - he only intended to separate it from himself in order to give it freedom. As he stepped forward, the man noticed something by his feet.

 

On the floor, free of the viscous liquid that covered it, a solitary skull remained, the baby teeth of which was still intact.

 

 

\---

 

 

"Prepare the Cannons!" General Byun Baekhyun ordered over the roar of the raging fire. Soot had settled on his helmet, turning the red tassels that adorned the top to a deep black.

As his troops readied their firearms, the charge of white skeletal creatures began to pick up speed, looming closer and closer to the frontlines.

"Aim…"

When the beasts leapt over the burning buildings, their translucent skin showed no muscle or fat, just a veiny mass of protruding bones.

"FIRE!"

Like the seawater approaching the shore, streams of whistling blue bullets pierced through the air, soon becoming a wave breaking on the outcrops of luminescent monstrosities. As the blend of magic and explosives penetrated the creatures' bodies, their bones shattered in a tremendous burst of plasma-laced light, a viscous white substance coating the ground on which they had stood.

 

After cutting down onslaughts of summoned beasts of varying repulsiveness, Baekhyun sent out patrol teams to search for Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

When they reported back with no sightings, Baekhyun grit his teeth. For the last twenty-four hours, the man had been teleporting from Gate to Gate in hopes of eventually crossing paths with the pair; five battles later, and there had still been no sign of them.

 

Before he had finally given up, Seulgi approached him, a student messenger by her side. "Ryeowook found them. Ri-Ma…they're in Ri-Ma."

 

Baekhyun turned to the boy named Ryeowook, who looked terrified and perhaps even traumatised, "I'm trusting your eyesight," He said breathlessly, then muttered the words that had stood by him for six years.

In a flash of white light, the General disappeared.

 

What Baekhyun noticed first wasn't the carnage, but the biting cold that nipped at the tips of his ears. Having grown used to the tempestuous fire storms that seemed to follow Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's paths, the General felt conflicted about the drastic change in temperature.

 

In the distance, he heard the firing of Cannons and the cries of soldiers, but immediately before him, a Gate was radiating its dread glow.

Hidden amongst the scorched wooden beams of collapsed houses, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo stood with their backs to Baekhyun, discussing something amongst themselves.

 

"No, Sol, the trees are white _because_ of the snow. They aren't white because they _are_ snow." Kyungsoo sighed, massaging his temples in agitation.

 

"Explain birch trees then." Chanyeol retorted.

  
Kyungsoo groaned, glaring at the man, "For the last time, Sol, there are different types of trees. They happen to be different colours because Terra seems to prefer variation instead of doing the logical thing and making them all brown."

 

"But you see, Luna, what even _is_ brown? Why is it called brown? Why is it coloured the way it is? Is the brown you see the same brown I see?" Chanyeol asked incessantly as he ruminated over the existence of brown, much to the chagrin of the smaller man.

 

"You always do this, I swear. We're leaving." Kyungsoo held onto Chanyeol's shoulder and began to teleport. Before their bodies could disappear, Baekhyun grabbed hold, soon fading away from existence.

 

In the bridge between the Coelestia and the unknown realm, Baekhyun's entire being floated atop the crests of the distorted matter, a kaleidoscope of emotions and colour that transcended the very nature of physical forms. What he experienced was time running through himself, ever present in his memories yet absent from the structure of his soul.

_His soul, where was his soul?_

_Who are you?_

_Where are you?_

_What are you?_

A confusing sequence of unanswered questions on a loop.

 

When the man woke up, a pale purple sky greeted him. Two familiar faces suddenly towered over his body, the shadows on their features unable to conceal their surprise.

 

"Chanyeol? Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun muttered, mouth feeling unusually dry.

 

"Oh my god, oh my god, you're alive. Holy shit, you're alive." Chanyeol blathered on about miracles and prayers being answered while Kyungsoo helped the man up to his feet.

 

"What are you doing here, Baekhyun? Heck, how did you get here? Why are you wearing armour?" Kyungsoo, as equally baffled as Chanyeol, began questioning the half-dazed General.

 

"No, let me ask the questions first. Where the hell are we? Why is the sky purple? Why are the trees bearded?" Baekhyun stepped back, trying to make sense of the situation. It was plain as day that neither of the three men had a clue as to what was going on, and eventually decided to discuss the situation in an orderly manner.

After Baekhyun explained the events in the Coelestia during Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's six year leave, the two men's faces fell, hearts sunken by the news of the destruction that Sol and Luna had caused with their bodies.

In return, the pair described Sol and Luna's new realm, the one in which they were currently residing in, as well as their version of events during the six years.

 

"To put it simply, everything's a mess and the two Dragons up there were probably listening to everything I've just said." Baekhyun sighed, partially preoccupied with plucking grass blades. "Good thing I didn't reveal anything too important."

 

Chanyeol crossed his legs, leaning forward like a small child whose curiosity was getting the better of themselves, "You would think that the design of the armour would've improved in six years, but its only gotten worse." He remarked, narrowly avoiding a kick to the shins from Baekhyun.

 

"Hey, I made this armour myself!" The General exclaimed.

 

"No wonder it's so bad." Kyungsoo grinned, protecting himself from the man's punches by using Chanyeol as a shield.

As their bickering rapidly descended into a full on wrestling match, Luna eyed the trio from the skies, carefully analysing Baekhyun.

 

"This man, shall we just kill him?" Sol chimed in, a thunderbolt already prepared for release.

 

"Don't. We can use him to our advantage." Luna declared, "The teleportation from the Coelestia to here seems to have done something to his soul."

 

"What do you mean?" The older of the two Dragons asked, withdrawing the lightning.

 

"It's fractured…neither here nor there." Luna responded, a devious tone to his voice. "In other words, he's primed for manipulation."


	17. In Common Places

Pastel pink stars emerged from the rolling darkness of the night, the centrepiece of which was a gigantic moon five times the size of Earth's. Chanyeol had attributed it to Luna's narcissism, but didn't comment any further on it in fear of being blasted with lightning.

While the trio took shelter in one of the square houses, laying on beds kindly provided by the two Dragons earlier that day, they whispered amongst themselves about their plan to escape.

 

"What the hell is this mattress made out of it? Baby tears? Why is it so uncomfortable?" Baekhyun groaned, shifting on the bed in hopes of finding a cosier spot. Unfortunately, there was none.

 

"Quit your whinging." Chanyeol sighed, stretching his leg over the gap between their beds to kick Baekhyun's back.

 

" _You_ can talk Chanyeol, all you did earlier was complain about how dark it was in here." Kyungsoo scoffed, pulling the miserably thin blanket over his body; the fabric pricked at his neck, as if millions of needles were grazing over his skin, causing the man to grimace and throw off the blanket altogether.

  
"It was a legitimate concern! What if I tripped? Then where would we be?" Chanyeol pouted.

 

"Laughing our asses off." Baekhyun remarked, invoking an already mildly annoyed Chanyeol to attack him with a flurry of punches. "Ow. Ow. _OW."_

 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and swerved off the bed. Grabbing Chanyeol by the waist, he pulled the man away from Baekhyun, who was prepared to snap Chanyeol's neck in half.

 

"You're both _twenty three_. Grow up!" Kyungsoo exclaimed in exasperation, letting Chanyeol fall from his grip and on to the floor in an unceremonious _thump_. "Now, let's discuss what needs discussing."

 

"What _can_ we discuss? Sol and Luna are probably listening to us - I bet they're watching us right now." Baekhyun spoke, glancing at Chanyeol who was writhing in pain on the floor due to his sore butt cheek.

 

"You give them too much credit - and for God's sake, Chanyeol, it's not that bad." Kyungsoo bent down, helping Chanyeol to his feet. As he did, the man's gangly limbs flailed in exaggerated agony. "And _you_ call Baekhyun dramatic."

 

"Hey!" Baekhyun protested, indignant about the physical and verbal abuse being hurled his way.

 

Chanyeol plopped himself back on to the mattress, leaning forward with his chin resting on the back of his hands and a grave expression appearing on his face, "I'm pretty sure I broke my tailbone."

 

"For fuck's sake." Kyungsoo grumbled, laying down on his bed again, closing his eyes tightly to shut out the duo's stupidity.

 

After five minutes of hissing, mocking and generally being obnoxious towards each other, Chanyeol and Baekhyun finally settled down, loudly declaring not to speak another word to one another.

Once Kyungsoo was sure that they could formulate a plan in peace, he turned over to face the pair, realising that he was, in fact, wrong.

Directly in front of his face was Chanyeol's, their noses just touching by their tips; the big-eared man grinned, watching in delight as Kyungsoo reeled backwards, eyes going as wide as they could go.

Behind Chanyeol, Baekhyun guffawed, "Wow your eyes _are_ massive _._ "

 

Resisting to urge to strangle the both of them, Kyungsoo stormed out of the house and on to the expansive field of unusually shaped flora.

With nothing else reasonable to say, Chanyeol simply followed the man, leaving a hysterical Baekhyun by himself.

 

\---

 

In the light of the moon, the dark circles under Kyungsoo's eyes had been illuminated. Chanyeol noticed how his cheekbones had become more prominent, his eyes famished of life and haggard in their gaze.

The change in appearance was drastic enough to render Chanyeol momentarily speechless. In his eyes, it was as if Kyungsoo aged several years out of the blue: only a few hours before, the man's cheeks had been full and aching after laughing so much due to Baekhyun and Chanyeol's antics.

 

"Chanyeol…I'm tired of all of this." Kyungsoo muttered, sitting against the trunk of Sol's tree. "I'm tired of getting nowhere, of never feeling hunger, of always being exhausted. I feel like I'm in a permanent state of dying."

 

The taller man frowned, staring down at the weary body before him. "Now who's being dramatic?" Chanyeol said jokingly, trying to ease Kyungsoo out of his sullen state.

Chanyeol wondered what was the cause of the change, but it eventually dawned on him that it was always the same reason:

 Luna.

 

A weak smile was all Kyungsoo gave, followed by a breathy laugh that seemed to wither away before it even began.

Worried, Chanyeol knelt down, observing Kyungsoo's face intently, "Hey Soo, are you okay?"

 

When he was given no answer, Chanyeol lightly tapped Kyungsoo's cheek, trying to break him out of his trance, "Soo?"

 

Kyungsoo slowly closed his eyes, the world fading to black.

 

\---

 

At Veneris, Sehun had returned to the crystalline structure as he always did during his breaks.

The harsh glow formed a path on the concrete floor, guiding the boy to the bodies lying behind the cloudy barrier.

Standing by the base of the crystal, Sehun observed Yixing and Junmyeon, finding nothing of interest except for the slight change in the latter's position.

Junmyeon was no longer curled into a ball, but it seemed as if his hand was outstretched, trying to reach for something beyond the walls.

As Sehun leant in closer, Yixing's body shifted abruptly, causing the boy to jump back in surprise. Slowly, the man's eyes opened and began searching the world around him.

 

Upon catching sight of Sehun, Yixing's mouth fell open in disbelief; he lurched forward, banging on the translucent walls with his fists, shouting muffled words.

While the man frantically tried to find a way to get out, the crystal began to melt, slowly turning into a thick substance that trickled down on to the floor. Eventually, the white haze was released, along with Yixing, whose knees buckled in on themselves due to weak leg muscles after years of disuse.

 

"Yixing?" Sehun asked hesitantly, drawing in closer to the bewildered man sitting on the floor.

 

He looked up, eyes widened in astonishment - an expression Sehun had never seen before on the man, "I-I'm Kyungsoo." Yixing muttered. Shocked by his own voice, he held his fingers to his throat then touched his face, inspecting his features with curiosity.

 

"What do you mean you're Kyungsoo?" Sehun shook his head, confused. As far as he could tell, nothing about the man's appearance seemed different. "Are you still out of it?"  
 

"No, Sehun…I really am Kyungsoo - I was with Chanyeol just a second ago." Kyungsoo paused, finally becoming apparent to him that his surroundings were completely different. "Come to think of it, where is Chanyeol? Why am I here? Why are _you_ here?"

With his gaze flittering about the room, Kyungsoo leant his back against the wall, completely and utterly baffled by what was going on. Before he could say anything more, he immediately closed his mouth, rendered speechless by the whole affair.

 

"Yi-, no, Kyungsoo?" Sehun asked, concerned about the man's condition, "If that really is you, I honestly don't know what just happened."

Kyungsoo ruminated in thought, trying to make sense of it all, but instead resigned to telling Sehun where he had been in the past six years, hoping that the boy would reach a conclusion by himself. In turn, Sehun briefly explained what happened to Yixing and Junmyeon's bodies after Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's departure from the Coelestia.

 

"Okay, okay, I think I've got it." Sehun declared after trying to piece all the information together in his head, "I don't know the exact details, but it seems that your father's body has been acting as a sort of…store for _your_ soul."

 

"How is that even possible? Hell, how did you even reach that conclusion?" Kyungsoo questioned, already puzzled.

 

"Remember how you said your personality was changing six years ago? This is just a theory, but I think it's because part of your soul was slowly being transferred into Yixing's body while Luna was transferring his soul into yours." Sehun explained while miserably failing to mime a displacement sequence with his hands. When Kyungsoo merely raised his eyebrow, Sehun sighed and resorted to using his abilities.

  
"Watch." He ordered the man as a familiar green mist rose from his palms. Two humanoids and one distorted entity formed: thin wisps representing the soul emerged from the entity and transferred itself into one humanoid, which in turn transferred its soul to the second humanoid, akin to a stone skipping on water.

Eventually, the entirety of the entity's soul had been absorbed into the first humanoid, whose original soul had been completely shifted to the second humanoid.

 

"So what about the soul of the second person?" Kyungsoo leant in to observe Sehun's model of soul transfer, in awe by the puppet-like movements of his creations.

 

After a moment's silence, Sehun closed his hands into fists, abruptly destroying the image, "I can't say for certain - your father may be alive, or he may not be. Truth be told, there is no way to tell what happens to his soul." The boy muttered. "If I knew where it was, then I could save him, but for now, I really don't know…I'm sorry."

 

Kyungsoo's throat went dry as he soon remembered that his father's soul no longer existed. It was Amber's lifeforce that had been in him, keeping Yixing breathing and brimming with life.

"W-what if we never find his soul?" Kyungsoo asked anxiously.

  
Sehun shook his head, lips pursed. "Then your father is as good as dead."

 

The man's heart sunk in his chest, a dreadful feeling churning within him. He looked down at his hands, those familiar hands that held him as a child, comforted him, stroked his hair affectionately. Those were the hands of a dead man, and Kyungsoo couldn't help but feel that everything was his fault.

From being the designated guardian of a Channel, to having his very soul being tampered with - it had been Kyungsoo to blame for his father's misfortune.

 

Noticing the sullen expression on Kyungsoo's face, Sehun placed a hand on his shoulder, a gesture he had learnt was a sign of comfort, "This was all Luna's doing - you aren't at fault for anything concerning Yixing's death." Sehun tried to console the man, but Kyungsoo was far too grief-stricken.

 

"Don't. All of this wouldn't have happened if-" Kyungsoo mumbled, moving away from Sehun's touch.

 

"If what? If you weren't born? Like I said, this is all Luna's fault - this has got absolutely _nothing_ to do with you as a person." Sehun interjected with a genuine belief that Kyungsoo was indeed innocent. "Enough talk, Minseok and the others are going to want to talk to you."

 

Kyungsoo in Yixing's body followed the boy, noticing how much more compassionate Sehun had become in their time apart.

 

\---

 

 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun crowded around Kyungsoo's body, with the latter checking the man's pulse.

"Shit, there's nothing. I think he's dead." Baekhyun uttered, cursing under his breath.

 

Refusing to believe it, Chanyeol knelt down over the man, applying pressure to his chest and breathing into his mouth, but Baekhyun immediately pushed him back. "Don’t do that if you don't know how - you might make things worse." The General told him firmly.

With his face fallen, Chanyeol watched Baekhyun attempt to resuscitate Kyungsoo, feeling a slight discomfort in his chest as their lips joined.

When nothing happened, the two men stepped back, teeth gritted in anxiousness.

 

Suddenly, Kyungsoo drew in a breath, eyes flickering open as he did. Without another moment's thought, Chanyeol returned the man's side, holding his shoulders in desperation, "Soo? Are you okay?"

Baekhyun, who was surprised that Kyungsoo practically rose from the dead, caught sight of the man's dilated pupils.

Like a fog meandering on a valley floor, a white cloudy haze glazed over Kyungsoo's irises.

 

As he opened his mouth to warn Chanyeol, a fiery jolt of pain ran down his spinal cord, leaving him paralysed as he collapsed to the grassy floor.

"Chanyeol, get away from him!" Baekhyun groaned, trying to withstand the intense agony in his back.

Unsure of what was happening, Chanyeol looked around, confused by the sudden course of events happening before him, "Baekhyun what's wrong?" He asked nervously, watching as Kyungsoo slowly rose to his feet.

 

Lightning rippled through the air, searing the earth beneath in a surge of electricity which collected at Baekhyun's body. Rather than electrocuting him and cooking his internal organs, the sparks transformed into an unknown energy that boiled his blood with its blistering heat, causing the man to scream in anguish.

Beside Chanyeol, Kyungsoo drew closer with a sly smile on his lips, an expression the man had never seen before. The roots of his hair were bleached white and a dull blue aura surrounded him, an obvious clue that something was very wrong.

 

"You…you're Luna, aren't you?" Chanyeol snarled, stepping backwards away from the man and closer to Baekhyun, "I don't know what the hell you just did, but you better bring Kyungsoo back to me."

 

Luna laughed, a more maniacal and distorted version of Kyungsoo's, "How courageous - you have no powers in this realm, no way of escaping, but you dare threaten _me_."

With a flick of his hand, Chanyeol was sent flying into the wall of one of the houses.

The Dragon turned to Baekhyun, glaring down at the man like he was a disgusting stain on a pristine white cloth, "Get on with it, Sol." Luna barked.

 

\---

 

 

Somewhere in the midst of the chaos, Baekhyun partially remembered his consciousness fading. Despite the heat engulfing his body, the man could feel a certain nostalgia, as if forgotten memories were returning to him.

 

When Baekhyun opened his eyes, he found himself sitting at a dining table with his parents and Soyoung. All three of them were staring at him, puzzled.

 

"What were you about to say, Baekhyun? You blanked out a minute ago." His mother laughed, handing him a bowl of his favourite beef stew.

 

"Oh…right." The man muttered. What _was_ he thinking about? "Yeah, I've been promoted to General."

His family simultaneously erupted with words of praise and slight jabs at his character, which was practically the opposite of what was expected of a high-ranking officer of the army.

 

"While we're all giving such happy news, I have some of my own." Soyoung announced, a gleeful smile on her face. "Chanyeol proposed to me!" She held out her hand, brandishing the diamond ring on her finger.

 

While his parents congratulated her, Baekhyun furrowed his eyebrows, "I swear Chanyeol liked…" He muttered, perplexed.

 

"Aww, Baekkie, are you jealous of your sister?" Soyoung teased, waving the ring in front of her brother's face.

 

"Ew, no, I don't like him like that, but I _do_ remember him saying something about a Kyu-" Baekhyun paused, shaking his head after the name completely slipped by him, "Nevermind, I think the heat's getting to me."

 

His father chuckled, taking off his glasses to wipe them with his sleeve, "I think you should rest, Baekhyun, it's been a long day for you."

 

Humming in agreement, Baekhyun left the table and walked over to his bedroom. Upon opening the door, he noticed the window was wide open, framed by curtains fluttering in the breeze; the harsh glow of the sun streamed into his room, bathing the walls in an unnaturally brilliant light.

 As he squinted his eyes to adjust to the drastic change in brightness, the world around him shifted, morphing into a forest with the sound of flowing water in the distance.

 

"Race you!" Ten-year-old Chanyeol challenged him, a confident grin on his face. His best friend…what were they doing?  "Loser has to help Soyoung with her magic homework!"

 

"Right, bug hunting." Baekhyun scratched his head, unsure of why he had forgotten a moment ago, "You're on!"

 

Through the dense thicket, swarmed by the thick humid air, Baekhyun chased after Chanyeol while skilfully navigating through the twists and turns of the labyrinth-like forest floor.

As the sound of the river drew closer and closer, the further Baekhyun felt he was from reaching his destination; something about the way the plant life repeated itself and the clouds that never seemed to change shape made Baekhyun's stomach turn.

 

Eventually, he found himself at the edge of a gorge, which had been bordered by the never-ending forest; looking down at the narrow river at the bottom, Baekhyun's palms began to sweat, but immediately forgot about his fear when he heard Chanyeol's cry.

The boy was sprawled by the river bank, body contorted in a gruesome manner; thick red blood seeped from his head, draining into the water in crimson tendrils.

"H…elp" Chanyeol croaked, voice barely audible.

 

Behind Baekhyun, a figure emerged and snaked its hands on to his shoulders. "You should help him, Baekhyun." It whispered.

 

"How?" The boy whimpered, barely able to hold back his tears at the sight of his friend.

 

"You jump, of course." Though sinister in its tone, the voice was deceivingly inviting. "You jump down there, and like the hero you are, you save him."

 

As Chanyeol's blood slowly trickled out of him, Baekhyun knew that he didn't have the time to hesitate. "I won't die…right?"

 

The figure cackled, the laugh strained in its hoarse throat, "Heroes don't die Baekhyun…they live forever and forever."

 

Lacking the ability to think clearly, the boy stepped closer to the drop, the ground crunching beneath his shoes. As he slowly leant over, Baekhyun glanced behind him, only to find that there was no one there.

 

"Just jump, Baekhyun." A voice ringed in his ears, masking any doubt in his mind.

And jump he did.

 

As his body plummeted down to the floor of the gorge, a speck of black appeared in the clean waters of the river, quickly unfolding itself across the entire area. Before Baekhyun could comprehend what was going on, he found himself no longer surrounded by the steep mossy sides of the gorge, but an all-consuming darkness resembling that of an abyss.

 

In a place with no beginning or end, his soul remained, suspended in the nothingness around it.

 

\---

 

 

In Sol and Luna's realm, Baekhyun rose from his slumber, eyes glowing a radiant yellow brighter than the sun.

 

"Nice to know you made it, Sol." Luna remarked, joining his elder brother's side.

 

"That fool actually jumped!" Sol laughed, stretching out into his new body, "It's a shame, though, I would've preferred someone taller. Can't I just transfer myself over into Chanyeol?"

 

Luna whacked him over the head, "If you really want to do that, then you're the only fool here." He sighed. While the Dragon was fond of his older brother, his incompetence made him more and more intolerable to the point that Luna had lost all respect for Sol.

 

Chanyeol sat against the wall of the house he was flung on to, groaning in pain as blood dribbled down his forehead, daubing his skin in a dark red. In an attempt to stand up, the man slid his body up the wall, limply steadying his legs to stop them from collapsing inwards under his weight.

"All you two do is fuck with everyone I love, don't you?" Chanyeol hissed, seething with rage. "Not once have you thought about anyone else but yourselves. You ruined Terra's life, you ruined mine, Kyungsoo's, Baekhyun's…every single one of them just because you can't accept that someone is better than you."

His voice began to rise in volume, eyes bloodshot and lashes dripping with blood, "Neither of you are worthy of being Overseers. This whole realm is a joke, the _both_ of you are nothing but savages th-"

 

Sol marched towards Chanyeol and grasped him by the neck, slamming his already fractured skull into the wall, "Shut your mouth. What makes you think that you know anything about us?"

 

"Yeah, I don't know anything about you, but seeing how pathetic your actions are, I can't help but pity your sorry existence." Chanyeol sneered, his words choked underneath the pressure of Sol's hand. "Do yourselves a favour and just fuck off before you embarrass your kind anymore."

 

Without hesitating, Sol pierced Chanyeol in the heart with his free hand, the body squirming as he clenched the man's heart mercilessly. In Sol's hand, he felt the contractions of Chanyeol's heart quickening in pace.

The man spluttered out blood, coughing and wheezing as Sol's grip tightened.

 

Luna quickly intervened, separating the two from each other. The younger Dragon placed a hand over the hole in Chanyeol's chest, immediately healing the gaping wide wound.

But it was too late.

In the grass matted by his own blood, Chanyeol's body lay lifeless.

 

"You!" Luna growled, pulling Sol by the collar. "How inept are you? Why are you damaging one of our vessels?!"

 

"You heard him, he called us savages!" Sol protested, prying his sibling's hand off of him. The younger of the two scowled, glaring at Sol silently. "Plus, we don't need him anymore, right?"

 

" _Wrong_." Luna snapped. "We've spent years preparing him to become our vessel - use your brain for once in your life, Sol, of course we need him!"

 

The elder Dragon pressed his lips together, refusing to accept that he was unjustified in his actions, "But I have this body, what use does Chanyeol's have?"

 

"If you haven't noticed, Chanyeol is a Channel, Baekhyun is not." Luna spoke slowly, condescendingly. "Can you guess which one is more compatible with our powers?"

 

Sol scoffed, offended by his brother's disrespect towards him, "Don't talk to me like that. Anyway, what have you done with their souls?"

 

"I'm a kind soul, brother," Luna replied, a cunning grin slowly forming on his face as his anger faded, "I feel like a reunion is in order."

 

\---

 

 

In the blue glow of the concrete room in the lower levels of Veneris, the remaining crystal structure melted, the sharp edges dissolving into a pool of azure solution on the floor. Junmyeon's body fell from its suspended state, spluttering out the non-existent fluid in his lungs.

After realising that there was no wound on his chest, the man raised his head to observe the surroundings: it was the same room in which he had woken up after Kyungsoo strangled him unconscious.

 

In his head, a voice ringed, "Chanyeol?"

 

After hearing his name, the man's ears perked up, searching the room for the source of the familiar sound, "...father?"


	18. Tend the Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

Perched on a shelf above Jongdae's chest of drawers was the Angelus' skull, which had been decorated with pressed chocolate cosmos by Minseok's request in an attempt to conceal as much of it as possible. The Court Mage found it unsettling that anyone would choose to keep a child's skull in their room, but he didn't want to inquire about Jongdae's personal choices any further, seeing how the Captain had been visibly distraught after the Angelus' departure.

 

"And you said you didn't care." Minseok muttered while dusting Jongdae's room.

 

The man in question had requested to see the Chief at Sie-Orphell palace in regards to his resignation from the army. Having fully realised that pretty much all of his military worth lay on the Angelus, Jongdae felt that it wouldn't be right to remain as Captain.

 

Downstairs, Minseok heard the front door opening, presuming that it was either Baekhyun returning from his battles, or Sehun from Veneris.

"Minseok!" Sehun called, "We need to talk!"

Setting down his duster, the man made his way to the ground floor. As he did, he caught sight of Yixing, and made an audible sound of surprise, "Sehun this isn't one of your magic tricks, is it?" Minseok asked dubiously.

 

"No, Minseok, it's really me." Yixing chuckled, "Well, actually, it's Kyungsoo. I'm…my soul is in my father's body."

 

The Court Mage uttered a dumbfounded "I see", eyebrows raised in mild astonishment, and continued with, "You don't see that everyday."

 

"You seem to be taking this better than I thought you would," Sehun remarked, amused by how startled Minseok was, "Do I need to explain?"

 

"Yes please." Minseok nodded his head, and let the boy feed the information into him.

Having been involved with many magic wielder circles, Minseok found that soul manipulation was a particularly sensitive subject, often due to how some questioned whether it was even ethical, while others saw it as beneficial. Nonetheless, knowledge of the actual mechanisms behind it were relatively unknown compared to the wielding of the common elements, leaving the Court Mage wanting to know more.

After Sehun had briefly explained the system of soul transfer, followed by Yixing's description of Sol and Luna's realm as well as the situation with Baekhyun, Minseok was enthralled.

 

"Putting aside that Baekhyun's an idiot - what else is new? - this whole talk about souls is actually quite intriguing," Minseok stated, a small smile on his lips, "I've been trying to research more on this subject for a while now-"

 

"Ah, Minseok, I was hoping to set aside this soul business for a moment," Kyungsoo interjected, "Chanyeol and Baekhyun are in danger - I'm pretty sure Luna was the one that forcefully ejected my soul out of my body, so who knows what he's going to do to the other two?"

 

"Wait, doesn't that mean that Chanyeol's going to end up in Junmyeon's body?" Minseok questioned, narrowing his eyes as the other two exchanged glances, looking as if that minor detail had completely slipped by them.

 

"Oh y-yeah, I knew that." Sehun laughed nervously, pressing his lips into a straight line. "I just…wanted you to see Kyungsoo first. Now let's go get Chanyeol!"

 

Without another word, he turned for the door while Minseok burst out laughing, "Sure, sure, how could the all-knowing Terra forget?"

 

"Shut up Minseok." Sehun pouted, taking Kyungsoo by surprise. Never had he seen the boy pout, and oddly enough, it didn't look out of place at all.

 

As they returned to Veneris, Kyungsoo observed the hustle and bustle of Sie-Orphell that bore a striking resemblance to Eris: stalls lined the streets stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables; blacksmiths worked on their metal, forging new weapons as the clatter of steel against steel reverberated in the air; and dozens of armour-clad soldiers and battlemages walked on the cobblestone roads, preparing themselves for another dreary battle.

It was a sight no different than during the war between the Imperial kingdom and the Union, except the enemy had changed and more was at stake than just magic-enriched land.

High above him, masked by the roaming clouds, Kyungsoo noticed a slight change in the sky, yet dismissed his observation, attributing it to his lack of sleep.

The tinge of pale purple that he had seen immediately faded back into blue, as if it was never there.

 

\---

 

 

 

"Father? Where are you?" Chanyeol swivelled his head from side to side, searching the concrete room for the source of the voice. "And why do I sound like you?"

 

A slightly low pitch hum echoed around him, resembling that of a muted laugh, "I'm right here, Chanyeol. I can't exactly show myself because you're in _my_ body."

 

"This doesn't make any sense though!" Chanyeol huffed, rising to his feet while dusting off the crystal residue on his clothing.

 

"Nothing has made sense since the moment you were born, Chanyeol. It's not going to suddenly start making sense _now_." Junmyeon sighed, the sound of his breath fading into a barely audible ringing. "Don't worry, Sehun will explain everything. He always seems to in the end."

 

"Where is Sehun? No, where is _here_? Why are you invisible? Where is my body?" The man started spewing out questions at a rate too fast for his father to keep up with.

 

"Chanyeol, patience. Sehun will be here soon…hopefully." Junmyeon uttered, his own patience being tested.

 

"Nah, I think I'll just go and fi-" Chanyeol turned on his heels, aimlessly searching for a door.

 

"Or you could wait while we catch up. How about it, a heart-to-heart between father and son?" Junmyeon interjected, an enthusiastic tone to his voice that dwindled the moment he saw Chanyeol grimacing, not even attempting to his disapproval. "Kim Chanyeol! You haven’t visited your father in six years and now you're acting like this? I raised you better than that."

 

"Oh I'm sorry father, I was busy murdering people unconsciously - I really did want to visit you. Honest." Chanyeol responded, voice dripping with mock sincerity.

 

Unable to hide his irritation, Junmyeon bit back, "You…you're really quite something, aren't you? Fine. If you don't want to talk."

 

After several minutes of silence, Chanyeol began to feel lonely, the darkness of the room slowly heightening his anxiety, "Father?"

When there was no reply, the man frowned, fraught with worry,  "…father?"

 

"So _now_ you want to talk?" Junmyeon broke the silence, snorting with laughter as his son nodded timidly.

 

"…sorry. Yeah, I do." Chanyeol eventually admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment.

 

With a pleased tone, Junmyeon continued their conversation, "Good. So how are you?"

 

"All's good. I'm dead. You're dead. Everyone seems to be dying. It's all _very_ good." Chanyeol rolled his eyes, unrestrained in his display of discontent.

 

In an attempt to lift his son's spirits, Junmyeon corrected the man, "Now, now, I'm not dead. My soul is just…displaced, hence why I'm 'invisible', though it is quite unfortunate that _you_ are dead."

 

" _Quite_ unfortunate? I'm your son! Shouldn't you be bursting out into tears? Reminiscing about the past? Hell, you should be preparing my eulogy!" Chanyeol burst out, bothered by his father's lack of a meaningful reaction.

 

"First of all, you should know by now that I'm not like that. Secondly, you're still here - you're not properly dead, stop being so dramatic." Junmyeon reasoned, feeling the urge to shake his head as if he had one. "Talking about dramatic, how's Baekhyun?"

 

"Baekhyun's…been possessed by Sol, I think. I am _a bit_ offended that Sol chose him over me, but then again, I really shouldn't complain." Chanyeol scratched his head, noticing a glimmer of light in the distance, "And I haven't been able to visit you because I've been trapped in some other realm for six years, just so you know. And the murdering people bit wasn't my fault as well, so don't go off on me about it."

 

"Yeah, I've had an inkling. I've seen glimpses of that realm from time to time, maybe because our souls are linked, but my God, it looked liked a child's drawing come to life." Junmyeon confessed, tutting as he did.

 

"Took the words right out my mouth." Chanyeol smiled, taking comfort in being able to express his feelings about Sol and Luna without being threatened.

 

"Also, I know about Baekhyun's situation after overhearing Sehun's conversation with Kyungsoo, I meant how is he doing? He isn't too badly injured, is he?" The older man asked concernedly.

 

Honing in on that one small detail, Chanyeol made a sound of disbelief, then launched into another set of questions for his father, "Hold on, Kyungsoo's here? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

 

"Because you would've bolted out of here the minute I told you - I needed to talk to you first." Junmyeon replied, remembering how Kyungsoo fondly talked about Chanyeol for a brief moment during his reunion with Sehun.

 

"Still! He's-" The echo of footsteps interrupted Chanyeol, causing him to swerve around towards the direction of the sound. "Hey, maybe that's Sehun…"

 

"Chanyeol." Junmyeon spoke with abrupt clarity, taking his son by surprise. "Don't tell them about me."

 

"Why not?" Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, mildly shocked by his father's words.

 

"Kyungsoo is in the same position as you, but his father's soul isn't around anymore." Junmyeon explained, a sympathetic tone to his voice, "I don't want him to become upset that I'm here and Yixing's not - he's already gone through so much that I'd feel bad."

 

Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows, remembering how closed off Kyungsoo had been due to his situation with his father, "Kyungsoo's not like that. Yeah he blames himself all the time, but he doesn't like dragging other people into his problems. Trust me, I know."

 

"That wasn't my only reason, Chanyeol. It feels…odd interacting like this." Junmyeon muttered, the lucidity of his voice waning, "I don't want to burden anyone with my issues - I presume that everyone has a lot on their plates already."

 

"This is more than just a small problem, father. We're talking about your life here-" The man protested, feeling that his father's request was unreasonable.

 

"Chanyeol? Who are you talking to?" A familiar, albeit slightly deeper, voice cut through their conversation.

Behind the man stood Sehun and Yixing, though Chanyeol had already gathered that the latter was in fact Kyungsoo.

 

Without hesitation, he faced the pair and answered, "Nothing. Just…a bit dazed."

 

 

 

\---

 

 

 

 

After his meeting with the Chief, who had been more than understanding of his situation and so allowed his leave, Jongdae returned to an unusually empty home. Normally at that time, Baekhyun would have been fighting with Minseok over who was going to make dinner, while Sehun would be doing his homework at the dining table.

 

Choosing not to dwell on it further, Jongdae shrugged and walked upstairs to his room, in hopes that Minseok hadn't thrown away the Angelus' skull out of disgust. Luckily, it was still there, untouched except for the single pressed white pansy placed in the eye socket, courtesy of Minseok.

 

"If anyone else sees this, they'll think I'm a freak." Jongdae mumbled as he lay down on his bed, gently resting his head on the recently fluffed up pillows, also courtesy of Minseok.

 

The man soon began to drift off, images of the child's skull with its double set of teeth blurred in his vision.

 

A warm breeze grazed his skin, gliding through his hair and enveloping him in a comforting embrace. As Jongdae moved his fingers slightly, grass blades pricked the plush pads of his fingertips, causing him to jolt awake in surprise.

For what seemed to stretch on for miles, an endless meadow greeted him, the sun shining on the emerald blanket embellished with smatterings of wild flowers.

 

Just as he was regaining his senses, a boy whose head was adorned with a flower crown of chocolate cosmos dashed by him, leaving a dark trail of trampled long grass in his path.

"Jongdae!" The boy laughed, face obscured by the glare of the sun as he spun around happily in the grass, "Play with me!"

 

The man stood up, realising how much larger the world looked around him; he glanced down at his hands, which had shrunken in size, seeming as if they belonged to a child's.

"Who are you?" He called out after the boy, noticing the higher pitch of his own voice.

 

The boy stopped with his back to Jongdae. As he slowly turned around, Jongdae's eyes widened upon seeing the familiar features, "Jongdae don't make jokes. You're not funny." The boy teased, laughing mockingly, "How could you not know your own brother?"

 

"Jongdeok?...But how? I saw your spirit leave, why are you still here?" Jongdae asked, puzzled by the sudden appearance of his deceased brother.

 

Jongdeok tutted, shaking his head disappointedly, "There's no time for silly questions, let's just play!"

He walked over to his younger brother, joining their hands to run along the slopes of the grassy hills together.

Resigning himself to enjoying Jongdeok's presence, Jongdae merely went along with his brother as they journeyed across the never-ending plains.

 

Eventually, they reached a wide river teeming with gold-backed fishes and pond skaters; a cluster of sparsely leaved shrubs bordered the banks, pricking Jongdae's legs as he cut through them.

 

"Jongdeok why are we here?" Jongdae questioned, suspicious of the boy's intentions.

 

"Is something wrong with you today? We're going fishing - I told you that earlier!" Jongdae exclaimed, exasperated by his brother's strange behaviour.

 

The younger of the two looked around, "But we don't have any fishing rods…" Jongdae muttered; he looked down at his hands again, realising that he was suddenly holding a makeshift wooden rod.

 

"Are you ill?" Jongdeok laughed as he threw a line, the wooden stick vibrating as the hook plunged into the water, "Just get on with it, Ma wants us back before dusk."

 

Deciding to play along, Jongdae shrugged and mimicked his brother's actions. He was sure that the both of them had never fished before, yet Jongdeok seemed to have the technique skilfully mastered, reeling in a fish after every attempt.

Similarly to the rods, a woven basket appeared between the two brothers, in which they stored their catch.

 

As the sky dyed the clouds pastel pink while the sun began its descent into the horizon, Jongdeok hauled the basket in his arms, ignoring his brother's requests to help. They both made their way back home, wherever home was.

 

With Jongdeok leading the way again, Jongdae trudged behind him, staring at his sibling's back.

"…You're not Jongdeok, are you?" He spoke, breaking the silence between them. The boy in question stopped in his tracks.

 

"Of course I'm Jong-" The older boy replied, the assured tone of his voice unchanged.

 

" _You are not Jongdeok_." Jongdae repeated, hands balled into fists. "Who are you?"

 

The basket of fish evaporated in the boy's hands, disappearing in a translucent cloud of orange-tinted particles, "I'm sorry Jongdae." His voice was a mere whisper.

 

"Tell me who you are first before you start apologising." Jongdae said through gritted teeth, the anger rising in him.

 

The boy turned around, his changed features distorted by a large burn scar that covered half of his face; the eyelids of his left eye drooped slightly, unable to fully blink.

"I j-just wanted you to like me." He murmured, tears welling in his eyes. "I wanted to be your brother so you would like me."

 

Jongdae sighed, finally making sense of it all, "You're the Angelus, aren't you?"

 

Responding with a nod, the boy drew closer to Jongdae, who had reverted back to his original age, "I used to be a Channel, one of the first actually. The Imperial kingdom made multiple attempts at my life, and when I finally did die…what was left of my body was experimented on," He explained, a sorrowful expression on his face. "It was out of spite, I guess, to turn me into a phantom that would kill other Channels, or one that would be used in rituals."

 

"All those years, I felt nothing but rage. So much hatred - I _despised_ everyone." The Angelus continued, ashen fumes seeping out of his mouth, "Then part of me escaped. I attached myself to you. I thought if I killed you, then I would be free. But…"

 

"But?" Jongdae encouraged him to continue, carefully adjusting the misplaced flowers of the boy's crown.

 

"But if you died, I realised that I'd be lonely again." The Angelus admitted, quickly wiping the tears that began to roll down his cheeks. "I wanted to be happy with you before I left this world. I wanted to know what it was like to have a family again."

 

"…I see." Jongdae patted the boy's head, unsure of how to comfort him, "Then I'll be your family for as long as you want me to."

 

"Really?" The Angelus' eyes brightened, an elated smile on his face.

 

"Do you take me for a liar?" Jongdae smirked, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately. "Actually, don't answer that."

 

For the rest of the evening, the pair fooled around with their lively imaginations, conjuring up all sorts of games and creatures, even changing the landscapes with their minds. Jongdae rebuilt his family's inn, deciding to teach the Angelus how to cook pub food and manage an inn, the latter activity being mindbogglingly boring for the boy. As for the Angelus, he temporarily gave Jongdae the ability to wield magic, with the man's choice being lightning; across the darkening sky, electricity fractured the still air, radiating an immense white light as Jongdae gave his all in summoning the biggest lightning bolt that he could possibly muster.

 

Just as Jongdae was about to unleash a bolt of lightning that would tear the ground asunder, he was abruptly awoken by the sound of a door slamming followed by a loud conversation between familiar voices.

The world around him immediately disappeared and on the shelf above his chest of drawers, nothing but a pile of pressed flowers remained.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Jongdae curled then uncurled his hands, realising that being angry would get him nowhere. However, it pained him that he didn't manage to give the Angelus a proper farewell, anxiously worrying about how the boy must have felt when Jongdae suddenly departed.

 

From the living room, two vaguely recognisable voices was mixed with Sehun's and Minseok's, which piqued the man's interest. As he went downstairs to investigate, his jaw fell open upon seeing Junmyeon and Yixing, alive and well.

 

"Ju-" Jongdae beamed, preparing to greet his old saviour.

 

"Now before you say anything-" Sehun interjected, feeling that _another e_ xplanation was in order. "-Let me fill you in."

 

After one more round of briefly describing the series of events that had occurred, Jongdae noticed how disorientated Chanyeol in Junmyeon's body looked. "Chanyeol, what's up? You like you've been through hell."

 

The man in question shook his head, which turned out to be a poor decision as he began staggering on the spot, losing his balance, "Well I was going to say I'm fine, but I don't think you'd believe me." He muttered, leaning against Kyungsoo for support. "I think I'm just adjusting to this body…Sol _did_ almost crush my real heart and that tends to knock the wind out of most people."

 

"Implying that some people can withstand their hearts being destroyed?" Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, steadying the man by holding on to his shoulders.

 

"You never know, Soo." Chanyeol chuckled, looking directly at Kyungsoo. "God it's weird calling you that when you're, y'know, not you."

 

Being able to relate, Kyungsoo sighed, "Yeah, it's odd watching a middle-aged man act like his idiotic son."

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes and refrained from sulking like a five-year-old, in fear of facing his father's wrath for ruining his image.

 

"This is 'odd' for us as well." Minseok scoffed, ushering the duo away from the doorway and into the living room. "Baekhyun's gone, Yixing's actually dead but his son's soul is keeping him alive, Chanyeol is in his father's body, and it's already eight o'clock in the evening and I haven't even eaten yet."

 

"Then go eat, you are _way_ too irate." Jongdae commented, earning a glare from the older man, "See?"

 

"Gladly." Minseok huffed, making his way into the kitchen to prepare dinner. "Help me out here, Dae."

Jongdae did as he was told and started grabbing ingredients from the pantry.

 

While the two men bustled away in the kitchen, Sehun sat down in Baekhyun's armchair and observed Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, who were surveying the sparingly decorated room. On the wall above the fireplace, they noticed an oil painting of the four residents, which seemed to be a few years old: Sehun, most likely fifteen at the time, was sitting on a chair intertwined with rose vines, while the three man stood behind. It was perhaps one of the most unusual family portraits either of the two had seen, but they found it endearing nonetheless.

 

"To tell you the truth, I have no idea what we're going to do from here on out." Sehun confessed, fiddling with the loose threads of the armrests.

 

"I was hoping that we could try and get our bodies back," Chanyeol suggested, absentmindedly trying to light the fireplace with a flick of his finger, only to remember that his father couldn't wield magic.

 

Kyungsoo chewed on his lip, eyes downcast, "If I leave this body, then my father will die...again." The man said anxiously.

 

The boy looked at Kyungsoo with solemn eyes, having come to understand the human concept of sympathy over his six years on Earth.

"You know, sleep works wonders for the brain. We can figure all of this out once you two rest." Sehun offered, rising up from the chair, "You can share Baekhyun's bed, if you don't mind."

 

The two nodded, thinking nothing of it, and followed Sehun to Baekhyun's room.

 

\---

 

"I feel like making beef stew today." Minseok smiled, sharpening one of the kitchen knives in order to cut a slab of beef brisket he had bought earlier that day. "It's _his_ favourite after all."

 

"Oh don't get all sentimental on me, Minseok. The next thing you know, you'll be writing poetic verses about Baekhyun." Jongdae sneered, chopping up a carrot on the counter beside the man.

 

"I might as well, seeing how much it annoys you." Minseok laughed as he placed a pot on the stove. After stoking the fire, the pair added the ingredients, the rumbling of their stomachs drowning out the sound of crackling flames.

 

On the landing of the upper floor, Sehun leaned against the railing, eyes focused on an area by the doorway of Baekhyun's bedroom.

"Junmyeon, I know you're there." The boy called out into the emptiness, laughing under his breath as he felt the energy shift abruptly. "You should've just introduced yourself the minute we got home."

 

When there was no answer, Sehun continued to talk, "What did you say earlier? That you didn't want to be a burden?"

 

"I don't take kindly to children eavesdropping on my conversations," Junmyeon finally responded, voice laced with mild irritation.

 

"Children?" Sehun snorted, despite already having grown used to being called a brat, "I'm eighteen! Actually, no, I'm older than this entire realm!"

 

Amused by the boy's immature efforts to justify himself, Junmyeon guffawed, "You certainly don't act like it. If I recall correctly, you were practising your confession to a man called Jongin…what was it that you said? You wante-"

 

"Argh, just be quiet!" Sehun cried out, stomping down the stairs in a childish fit of temper as the blood rose to his cheeks. Behind him, he could feel a wave of energy trailing after his footsteps, the muted laughter ringing in his ears, "I shouldn't have talked to you."

 

"You may be millennia older than me, Sehun, but you seem like a kid more than anything else." Junmyeon expressed, the warmth of his soul radiating around him. "And don't be embarrassed, we all have a little crush on someone at some point in our lives." From his kind words and amiable spirit, Sehun could tell that the man meant well.

 

"Maybe I don't want to be a kid? I only ended up in this body because my powers were weak. I could've made myself the same age as Chanyeol." Sehun muttered, setting himself back down on Baekhyun's armchair, a luxury he was rarely allowed to experience due to the man's constant complaints.

 

"Most people, myself included, regret what they did in their youths. Take pride in being young, Sehun." Junmyeon assured him, "That'll show your brothers how life should be lived, rather than spending their days killing innocent people." Regret was evident in the man's voice, as if he spoke from experience.

 

From the kitchen, Minseok and Jongdae entered the living room with matching green aprons, leaving the stew to boil.

"Hey Sehun, who're you talking to?" Minseok asked as he chewed on a carrot stick.

 

"Junmyeon." Sehun smirked, wondering if the man would have facepalmed had he a body.

To the boy's surprise, the retired General introduced himself calmly, "Sorry for not saying anything earlier, I just couldn't find the right time to interject."

 

Jongdae's eyes widened as he heard the familiar voice resonate in the room, "Woah is that your soul talking? Well, I guess it would still be _you_ talking, but this is so cool. Can you see the dead? Is my great-great-great grandfather here?"

 

Letting out an irritated sigh, Minseok jabbed the man in the ribs, "You answered your own question, you idiot. It's his _soul_ , he's not a ghost, or else we would be able to see him…and your great-great-great grandfather."

 

"Pardon me for not knowing about the mechanics of dead things." Jongdae huffed. Despite being able to - or _used_ to be able to - summon a spirit, the way the supernatural side of the world worked was lost on him, having decided to opt out of non-compulsory education at a young age to pursue innkeeping.

 

"By the way, the pot is overflowing." Sehun pointed out, snickering as the two men immediately rushed to the kitchen. He turned to Junmyeon, judging his location by the direction that his soul effused energy. "Those two will probably be eating until late into the night, so if you want to join them, go ahead. I'm off to bed."

 

"Hmm, I'll rest as well - I'll just 'hibernate' beside my body, like I usually do." Junmyeon decided, momentarily turning his attention to the duo, who were desperately trying to weaken the stove fire.

 

"Wait, what do you mean 'like I usually do'? Weren't you _just_ ejected from your body? Come to think of it, how did you even hear my confes- um, my…thoughts on Jongin?" Sehun asked in quick succession. When the man withheld an answer, the boy had an idea as to what had happened, "You've been staying by that body alone for years, haven't you? And you didn't even tell anyone."

 

"No, not years, it was only a month or so ago when I left my body. However, neither Yixing nor Amber's soul appeared." Junmyeon told the boy, voice tinted with sadness, "That was probably the time when mine and Yixing's bodies were ready to become vessels for Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. I wanted to be beside Chanyeol when we met again, so that he wouldn't feel so distraught."

 

"That's…dedication." Sehun remarked, astounded by the father's willingness to wait for such a stressful event. "But why couldn't I sense you like I can now? And for God's sake, why didn't you say anything?"

 

Junmyeon let out a heavy-hearted sigh, "My soul was still trapped in that crystal, Sehun. I couldn't move or talk - just watch and listen. But I still did want to stay by my body, whether or not I had the choice to leave."

 

"Oh." Sehun muttered, pressing on the flesh of his lips with his fingers inattentively. "I suppose you should rest then."

Without another word being spoken, the mellow aura of Junmyeon's soul slowly faded as the man returned to his son.

 

Once no trace of him was left in the living room, Sehun rested his head against the armchair, shifting his gaze to the ceiling. Directly above him, there was a slightly darker splatter of paint, a memory of Baekhyun and Jongdae's struggle to cover up their failed attempts at helping Sehun with his art homework.

 

The boy sighed deeply, his body melting into the comfort of the seat. Though he didn't want to admit it, he missed Baekhyun a fair amount - the man had become somewhat of an older brother to him, and even a mentor in some ways. There were certain aspects of human society that Sehun could barely get a grasp of, yet Baekhyun always made him charge into such situations head-on, even if it meant embarrassing the both of them.

Sehun closed his eyes, trying to remember one of the not so mortifying events.

 

"Oi, brat." Baekhyun spluttered through a mouthful of pumpkin pie. "Why didn't you hold the door open for me? I almost broke my nose."

 

"Why should I?" A thirteen-year-old Sehun scoffed, fishing out a jam tart from Baekhyun's paper bag of recently bought baked goods, "I gave all of you arms and a brain for a reason."

 

Baekhyun whacked him over the head, clicking his tongue at the boy's behaviour, "And you gave us the ability to be compassionate. You open doors to be _polite_ , Sehun. That's another thing that we 'Children of Man' do."

 

"Tch, get off my case. No one _had_ to use that ability." Sehun shrugged him off, walking away from the bakery and on to the crowded streets, which was unfortunately the immediate route of an incoming carriage. Without even leaving time for the boy to react, Baekhyun pulled Sehun backwards by the collar, narrowly preventing him from being trampled by a horse.

 

"But if we didn't, then you would be lying on the road with a cracked skull." Baekhyun emphasised his point by flicking Sehun on the forehead, leaving a bright red mark. "As thanks, I want you to open the door for that old lady over there."

The older boy pointed at an elderly woman with a basket filled with vegetables slung on her back, her frail body trembling as she shuffled up the steps leading to the florist's.

Sehun looked up at Baekhyun as if he had gone mad, but the latter simply urged him forward, firmly pushing him in her direction.

 

Upon reaching the florist's, Sehun held the door open for the old lady, who thanked him with a grateful smile. On the opposite side of the street, Baekhyun held his thumb up, beaming with pride for the younger boy.

 

When Sehun opened his eyes again, he noticed a bowl of freshly cooked beef stew on the end table beside him, the tendrils of steam curling upwards from the thin brown liquid, dispersing into the cold air of the dimly-lit room.

 

\---

 

 

High above Sie-Orphell, partially obscured by a dense cover of clouds, the moon shone, piercing the darkness with its brilliance.

Beneath the celestial body, the inhabitants of Earth went about their nights, unaware of the change occurring miles above their planet.

Little did they know of the hairline fracture that travelled along its otherwise pristine surface, or of the body of the powerful creature lurking within, waiting to be awoken from its centuries long slumber.

 

In what would be a matter of days, their world was to transform once again.


	19. At the Crossroads

Morning came as it usually did with too much to do in too little time. Having finally settled into a routine with three other tenants constantly fighting to use the bathroom, Sehun was sure that subtracting one and adding two new constants to the equation would work out one way or another.

Unfortunately, there was a miscalculation, leading to a blocked toilet and a _very_ angry Minseok, who the other residents did well to avoid.

Not wanting to face the wrath of his guardian, Sehun left early for Veneris, stepping out on to the pavement with his rucksack slung over one shoulder, expecting to be greeted by the harsh rays of the summer sun.

To his surprise, the sunlight had been unusually dim, akin to that of a winter's morning; however, Sehun soon dismissed it, partly due to his lack of interest and the other thoughts milling around in his brain.

 

The most obtrusive thought was his currently non-existent plan to rescue Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's bodies, which would entail defeating his brothers with his greatly weakened powers _and_ returning any misplaced souls to their original owners. Needless to say, it gave the boy a headache, considering how it was only seven o'clock in the morning and he was pretty sure that Jongdae put alcohol into the beef stew.

 

"That definitely wasn't red wine in there." Sehun muttered, rubbing his forehead as he trudged along the path to Veneris, head bowed towards the ground to stop him losing balance. As he stretched his neck back, Sehun noticed Jongin walking a few metres ahead of him with a woman holding on affectionately to his arm.

 

It was obvious to the boy that the woman was Chrystal, who looked just as pretty, or even more so, than how Jongin had described her, despite the distance between Sehun and her.

Hesitant to interrupt, Sehun lingered a few seconds on the middle of the path, waiting for the couple to draw further and further away from him.

Seeing how the woman smiled with genuine joy at Jongin, as if he meant the entire world to her, and how Jongin reciprocated those feelings with a tender gaze, it only consolidated Junmyeon's words for Sehun.

His crush was just a crush - tiny, insignificant and above all, a complete and utter dead end.

 

Having noticed the boy frozen on the spot, Jongin called out to him, "Sehun, come here! I'll introduce you to Chrystal!"

Not wanting to ruin any first impressions, Sehun prepared himself for what he assumed would be the most grounding experience in his life: a one-sided rejection for his one-sided love.

 

"Nice to meet you, I'm Sehun." The boy shook Chrystal's hands in his effort to display his good manners, which inevitably took Jongin by surprise.

 

"Well aren't you well-behaved today?" Jongin guffawed, slapping Sehun's back along with his sudden burst of laughter. Unaware of Sehun's supposed 'bad' attitude, Chrystal frowned and lightly pushed Jongin on the shoulder to make him stop.

 

"Lovely to finally meet you, Sehun." Chrystal returned the boy's greeting, noting how much taller Sehun was than what she had imagined. Turning to her boyfriend, who had finally calmed down, she leant forward to whisper something in his ear.

 

Jongin nodded, a small smile forming on his lips, "Yeah, I'll tell him."

Looking at Sehun with perhaps the most thrilled expression boy had ever seen, Jongin announced an unexpected piece of news, "Chrystal and I have been engaged for a while now, and we'll be holding the wedding in a week…so I was wondering if you could be my best man? I know we've only just met, but you're pretty much the closest friend I have."

  
" _Only_ friend, honey." Chrystal teased, chuckling as Jongin's face flushed in embarrassment.

 

"I-I'd love to!" Sehun blurted out without hesitation, heart pounding in his chest, "It…means a lot to me that you asked, Jongin."

 

Taken aback by Sehun's bout of sincerity, Jongin couldn't help but hug the boy for his kindness, "No, it means a lot to _me_ that you accepted."

As the man pulled back, Sehun avoided direct eye contact, shifting his gaze over to the neighbouring field, afraid that Jongin might see right through him.

"Do you want to walk with us?" Chrystal offered, oblivious of what Sehun could possibly have been feeling.

 

"Oh no, I'm…just going to wait here for a friend." Sehun replied, lying through his teeth.

After their brief farewells, the couple continued on their way, their conversation eventually fading in the sound of the blustering wind.

When they were out of sight, Sehun laughed bitterly, thinking of himself as a fool for not overcoming his infatuation with a soon-to-be married man.

Who was he to think that love could suddenly flourish between him and Jongin?

Simply fantasising about a man who was involved in another relationship would never lead to love, as Sehun had finally come to understand. He knew all of that, yet it still stung to see Jongin's fingers intertwined with Chrystal's, even though all of the pain he had been experiencing was his own doing.

Sehun wasn't rejected, neither was he accepted, and staying quiet, though probably the best option, was heart wrenching in itself. Perhaps it was better to let his obsession gradually die, rather than lingering on what was never meant to be.

 

While deep in thought as he stared over the expansive wheat field, Sehun noticed a distortion in the air amongst the crops.

It was a fracture.

Rather than seeking help, the boy approached it, fascinated by the liquid-like quality.

As he touched the fracture, the waves weaved between his fingers, from which green mist seeped out. Surprised, Sehun pulled his hand back, watching the mist dissolve into the watery gaps.

Curious, he pierced the fracture with his entire arm, plumes of green mist rising from his skin that turned the liquid into a vibrant emerald. As he withdrew his limb, a flash of white light emerged from the fracture, causing it to fully open into a Gate.

However, instead of the characteristic radiant white glow that the Gate usually emitted, a viridian colour illuminated its entrance.

 

Sehun was compelled to enter, disregarding any dangers to his life. Unlike the other Gates that spawned on Irem-Unis, there was no aura of malice to the one standing before of Sehun. In a way, it felt almost…reassuring to be beside the Gate.

 

Not wanting to delay any longer, Sehun strode into the Gate, leaving the Coelestia behind him.

 

\---

 

 

Inside the Gate, Sehun was met with legions of grotesque beasts, all laying on the stone floor in anguish. As he surveyed the area, he observed the emaciated bodies of the creatures and their laboured breaths as they miserably tried to stand upright. Pained cries reverberated in the air, a cacophony of coarse screeching and weak howls that irritated Sehun's ear drums.

A low-lying green fog wound around the beasts, engulfing them in a wispy haze which seemed to originate from Sehun. Directly above the boy, more distorted waves filled the sky, similar to that of a fracture. At first glance, it seemed to mirror the ground beneath, however, despite being severely blurred, Sehun could make out certain differences, such as trees and buildings.

 

Wondering if he could propel himself towards the image, Sehun attempted to use his powers, expecting them to be almost non-existent. To his surprise, the green haze wrapped around his torso and lifted him up high in the air, all which had been his will.

As far as Sehun had known, his abilities should have been limited to basic offensive and defensive spells, but that was immediately proven wrong when he shattered the sky as his body was ejected through the distorted waves.

The realm beneath him fragmented, the beasts collapsing in on themselves as their physical forms ceased to be, and the world was soon submerged into a murky black abyss of nothingness.

Before he could fully comprehend the destruction he had caused, Sehun had been transported to a completely different realm altogether, one in which the sky was a pale purple and the buildings were rigidly geometric in shape.

 

Not far from where he was standing, a familiar body lay unconscious on the ground, his head resting against a matted pillow of long grass.

 

"Chanyeol?" Sehun asked nervously, drawing closer to the unmoving figure. When there was no answer, the boy remembered that the man's body was lacking a soul.

Unsure of what to do, Sehun looked around him, watching the skies for perhaps another exit. As he ruminated in thought for a second, an idea came to him: if his powers were strong enough to dismantle an entire realm, then surely he could attempt to do it again.

 

Without considering the possible consequences, Sehun pressed his hand against the earth and willed a surge of energy into the land.

Around him, every colour turned into a solid emerald: from the bark of the trees to the clouds in the sky, the world had become immersed in the power that flowed from Sehun's body.

Astonished by the strength of his abilities, he continued to pour his all into the realm, the energy rippling through his veins and bleeding through the tips of his fingers at an immense rate.

Fissures formed on the buildings and mountains as the realm was slowly torn apart; from the cracks, darkness coursed on to the grassy plains in heavy streams, converging together to form a sea of black.

 

In the centre of it all was Sehun, who had held on to Chanyeol's body with his free hand. As the world disintegrated around him, a green haze encapsulated the two in a barrier against the impending implosion of the realm.

Sehun could feel the force pushing and pulling on him, growing stronger as more energy rushed from his body; in a matter of seconds, the world collapsed inwards, followed by an ear-splitting blare that resonated around him before it too died in the resulting vacuum.

 

Nothing but a desolate wasteland of black surrounded the two bodies.

The boy closed his eyes, letting his power consume him and Chanyeol in a warm, familiar embrace.

Home didn't have to be far away.

Home could be beneath his feet, if he wanted it to be.

 

Placing his trust into his abilities, the darkness soon faded around him as tendrils of green snaked across the emptiness. From the uninviting cold of the abyss emerged a cool breeze, whistling in the boy's ears.

The Coelestia materialised around him in place of the disappearing black, the wheat fields he had left stretching on for miles around him, greeting the boy with a soft rustling sound as their stalks swayed in the wind.

 

At his feet, Chanyeol's body lay unconscious. As Sehun bent down to attempt slinging the body over his shoulder, Chanyeol moved slightly, taking the boy by surprise.

Rubbing his neck, Chanyeol groaned, his eyelids fluttering as he adjusted to the light, "Ahh Kyungsoo why did you wake me up?" He muttered, reaching for a inexistent blanket. When there was none, Chanyeol's eye snapped open, leaving him in a state of shock as he took in his surroundings. "Sehun? Why are we on a field? And…oh my God, my voice is normal again."

 

Sehun helped the man rise to his feet, laughing at how Chanyeol looked like a fawn trying to walk for the first time as he stumbled around, "Let's go back to the house, your father might have returned to his body. I'll tell you everything on the way."

 

"Yeah su- wait, how did you know my father's spirit was here?" Chanyeol questioned as he leaned himself against Sehun for support, knees on the verge of buckling inwards.

 

"I could feel his energy, it wasn't that difficult to sense him." Sehun replied, hooking Chanyeol's arm over his own shoulder as he began leading the man off the field. Chanyeol limped slightly as they trampled over the crops and on to the road to Veneris, grunting in pain every time he stepped too roughly on the ground.

 

"What's wrong? Is your leg injured?" Sehun asked, concerned about Chanyeol, whose face was contorted into a grimace.

 

"No, nothing's wrong, my muscles are bit weak." Chanyeol chuckled breathlessly, sweat rolling down his forehead.

 

"Want a piggy-back?" Sehun smirked as he wiped the sweat off with his sleeve, which mildly startled Chanyeol, seeing as the boy had been practically devoid of any sentimental emotions six years ago.

 

"Thanks but no thanks." Chanyeol smiled, letting himself relax in Sehun's presence. Admittedly, Chanyeol had mixed feelings about the boy at first: while he pitied Sehun, he was also somewhat guarded around him, considering how the boy was the physical form of a Dragon; however, those thoughts eventually melted away as they began joking around together and exchanging stories, most of which involved Baekhyun's moments of acting like a buffoon and highlights of Kyungsoo's never-ending list of snarky comments directed at Chanyeol.

After half an hour together, it didn't take much deliberation to understand why Jongdae and Minseok had grown so fond of him. Chanyeol had misjudged Sehun for an arrogant ass, when all the boy was doing was adjusting to the world he had created, one that had disappointed him far too many times.

 

\---

 

In the kitchen of Minseok's house, Kyungsoo poured himself a glass of water, mildly captivated by the dancing lights refracting through the glass and on to the countertop.

From the hallway, he could hear footsteps quickly running down the stairs, "Kyungsoo!"

 

"What is it Chanyeol?" He replied, sticking his head out from the kitchen doorway.

 

"No! It's…I…Chanyeol's soul isn't in here anymore, it's me, Junmyeon." The man explained, quickly making his way to Kyungsoo.

 

"It's too early for jokes, Chanyeol." Kyungsoo sighed, sipping on the water as he watched Junmyeon frantically searching his surroundings. "What even are you looking for?"

 

"Unfortunately, I'm not joking." Junmyeon answered, a serious tone to his voice. "We need to find Chanyeol's soul, he may still be around here."

 

"Okay, let's say I believe you for now, but why on earth would Chanyeol's soul be ejected? Sol and Luna have been preparing your bodies for ages, surely that can't be undone in a matter of seconds." Kyungsoo knitted his eyebrows, annoyed and hardly in the mood for any games.

 

As Junmyeon began to talk, the front door swung open, revealing Sehun and Chanyeol. Kyungsoo's eyes widened as he saw his friend hobbling into the house, the exhaustion evident in the way his eyelids drooped and the sheen of sweat on his forehead.

 

"Oh…so you weren't lying. I'm sorry." Kyungsoo muttered, bowing his head sheepishly.

 

"Don't worry about it." Junmyeon reassured him, but was far too preoccupied with seeing his son again. Noticing how Chanyeol was having difficulty even standing up, Junmyeon gestured Kyungsoo to help him, the latter being as equally concerned about the man.

 

After the three led the man to the living room, setting him down on the couch, Chanyeol began spluttering out blood as the colour drained from his face.

"Luna…tried to heal me, I think, but not…v--ery well." Chanyeol coughed, clutching on to his side as a sudden shot of pain bloomed from his ribs. " _Fuck_ this hurts."

 

"Sehun, what are we going to do? Can you heal him?" Kyungsoo asked the boy worriedly, sitting down beside Chanyeol to rub his back and clean the blood dribbling down his chin.

 

"Minseok probably can, he _was_ a priest." Sehun frowned, wondering how Chanyeol's condition could have deteriorated so much in less than an hour. "But I don't understand how it could have gotten so bad."

 

"How did this happen in the first place?" Junmyeon questioned while urging Chanyeol to drink some water from Kyungsoo's glass.

 

"I destroyed Sol and Luna's realm, hence why Chanyeol is here and it's probably the reason why your souls are back in their respective bodies." Sehun briefly explained, fanning Chanyeol with his hand. The man in question croaked dryly, his eyes squeezed tight as nausea overcame him; feeling like he was going to vomit, he tried to stand up, but ended up collapsing back into the seat as he lost his balance.

 

"I-I can't lea-" Chanyeol mumbled, tears welling up in his eyes. In a matter of seconds, his breathing ceased and his body lay limply on the couch, head tilted against Kyungsoo's shoulder. Speechless, Junmyeon pressed his finger against Chanyeol's neck, hoping to find a pulse. When there was none, Junmyeon silently moved away, unable to utter a single word as his son lay dead before him.

 

Pressing his lips into a line, Kyungsoo felt his stomach knot as he watched Junmyeon - a grown man who had been feared for his ruthlessness in the past -  practically break down in front of him after witnessing his son's death.

"If I've learnt anything over these past six years, it's that people don't stay dead." Kyungsoo tried to reassure him, but the tightness in his throat made it difficult to speak any words of consolation. Having seen Chanyeol die before, the panic had subsided much more quickly, but it only meant that the barren feeling in his chest lingered around longer.

 

"But that's because someone kept you alive." Sehun said through gritted teeth, blaming himself for failing once again. "I can't do that, there's nothing I can do. This isn't a matter of his soul being ejected. There's _nowhere_ for his soul to go now."

 

"Sehun, if you can destroy a realm, why the hell can't you save my son?" Junmyeon growled, his frustrations getting the better of him.

Deciding not to address Junmyeon's anger, Sehun stared at Chanyeol's lifeless body, hoping something, _anything_ , would come to him.

 

There was one idea, or rather, a plan that he had never intended to use, unless it was a matter of life or death - _his_ life or death. Sehun had reserved it for dire situations concerning himself, but the weight of losing another Channel had bore into his mind, making the guilt almost unbearable.

Placing a hand on Chanyeol's forehead, Sehun closed his eyes, letting the energy flow from him his fingertips while Kyungsoo and Junmyeon watched in silence, unsure of what the boy was attempting to do.

Like the realms he destroyed, like the beasts he killed and like the darkness that he fought against, Sehun's physical form fragmented. Fractures  - thin lines that oozed out a green mist - appeared on his body, running from the corner of his eyes down to the heels of his feet.

Just as Kyungsoo had finally caught on to what was happening, Sehun's body disintegrated into thousands of shards, all reflecting an image of the boy on their glass-like surfaces.

 

From the debris, emerald fog whirled around in a cascade of fragments before seeping into Chanyeol's body.

The man immediately gasped for air, the colour returning to his cheeks. Once he fully regained consciousness, Chanyeol abruptly sat upright, swivelling his head from side to side in search for something.

"Where's Sehun?" He asked breathlessly, turning to Kyungsoo and Junmyeon whose faces were frozen in shock. "Kyungsoo, what happened to him?"

 

Suddenly, a bellowing voice resonated in the room, one that commanded authority with its tone, "Chanyeol, I have returned to my form as Terra. Reviving you has weakened me greatly, I cannot stay in that body any longer."

 

"But you're way more important than I am!" Chanyeol cried out, grimacing at the horrible metallic taste in his mouth.

 

"As a Channel, you can do far more than I can." Terra responded, voice lacking any of the emotion that his physical form had, "You are no longer Sol's Channel, but _my_ Channel."

 

"That's basically suicide. If Chanyeol's going to use your energy, we might as well just surrender ourselves to your brothers." Kyungsoo expressed, unsure of which direction he should face to address the Dragon.

 

"If we defeat at least one of my brothers, energy will surely return to me." Terra stated, followed by a brief pause. "…I was a fool in thinking that destroying Sol and Luna's realm wouldn't have any consequences. I'm sure now that it was their plan to deplete my remaining powers by deluding me into thinking that I gained strength. Had I exerted myself more, I'm sure that my soul would have been consumed entirely." He added bitterly, cursing himself for falling in his brothers' trap. "It also explains why Chanyeol returned to the Coelestia on the brink of death."

 

"So they anticipated you saving my life." Chanyeol concluded, picking off flecks of dried blood from his cheek.

 

"…Yes, most likely." Terra admitted, the neutral tone of his voice wavering slightly. Noting the tinge of misery, Chanyeol kept his eyes downcast, focusing on his hands that had almost become foreign to him. Both of them blamed themselves, a fact blatantly obvious to Kyungsoo and Junmyeon as the atmosphere of the room became heavier in their silence.

 

Suddenly, a thunderous roar shook the foundations of the house, dust from the wooden beams falling from the ceiling.

Without another moment's thought, the three men rushed outside, attention instantly drawn to the darkened sky.

 

High above the city, a beast seemed to emerge from the sun, its scaly body engulfed in fiery orange flames as it pulled itself away from the celestial body. Wings on its back stretched outwards, displaying the majesty of their grand size; with every beat of its wings, the flames swirled even more strongly, circulating the creature in rings of fire.

  
"That's Sol's body." Terra's voice ringed amidst the chaos on the streets. "His soul hasn't fully returned yet, or else he would be completely free. I can sense him near the site of the closed Gate in the east of Sie-Orphell. Go quickly."

 

Following the Dragon's orders, the trio barged through the endless stream of panicked citizens, all in a frenzy over the creature that was tearing the sun apart.

Upon reaching East Sie-Orphell, Chanyeol caught sight of Baekhyun, who stood in the centre of the wreckage around him, flames spilling from his mouth. Looking closer, the man could see that his friend's skin had been burnt, unable to withstand the heat of the fire he was spewing out; the tips of his hair had been singed, tendrils of smoke rising from his head, and blisters had formed on his lips where they had been in contact with the fire for too long. As if compelled by another force, the flames formed a fire whirl, which rose to the sky in the direction of Sol's body.

After a second of 'breathing', Baekhyun stopped, hissing in pain. "This useless body isn't even immune to heat." He snarled, massaging his cheeks, the skin of which had started peeling off. "Damn it all, I need Chanyeol."

 

"Now why would you need me?" Chanyeol remarked, appearing behind Baekhyun, "You seem to be having fun incinerating Baekhyun, Sol."

 

"Where's my body?" Kyungsoo interjected, glaring intensely at the man, who only replied with a condescending laugh.

 

"Your confidence is admirable, but your stupidity, however, is particularly amusing." Baekhyun sneered, stepping away from the two as he prepared for another breath. "Both of you have no powers, yet here you are, confronting a being a thousand times more powerful than yourselves."

 

"How powerful can you be if you keep on getting burned by your own fire?" Chanyeol snorted, allowing Terra's breath to rise in his throat, waiting to be released.

 

Underneath the crumbling sun, framed by the destruction from a bygone battle, the two men drew in a breath and _blew_.


	20. Tear Yourself Apart

_Wake up_         

 

Baekhyun's eyes snapped open upon hearing the familiar voice echoing in his mind.

Streams of sunlight flittered over his duvet as a result of the curtains fluttering in the breeze from his open window. With every wave of the fabric, the light bounced off the crests and in to his room, slithering up and down the walls and ceiling.

 

For a moment, Baekhyun lay there, taking in the sound of the droning conversations on the street below and the rustling of the leaves on the tree just outside his bedroom.

 

"Baekhyun, wake up!" Soyoung called from the hallway, voice laced with annoyance, "We're going to be late for school!"

 

Groaning, the boy slid off his bed and rolled on to the carpet with a _thump_. Pushing his body up, he wondered whether he could convince Chanyeol to skive off with him, knowing that his friend seemed to be particularly vehement against tarnishing his perfect attendance, even though his grades were less than ideal.

"Coming!" Baekhyun half-screeched half-shouted, finding it difficult to make his limbs wake up. "Mondays are a bitch, why can't it be Friday?"

 

After lazily donning his uniform, the bright yellow of which never failing to make him cringe, he trudged downstairs, yawning as he entered the living room.

"God, Baekhyun, can't you even wake up on time on Fridays?" Soyoung rolled her eyes, passing Baekhyun his satchel as the boy slipped on his shoes.

 

"Huh? I thought it was Monday." Baekhyun muttered, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

 

"What on earth are you talking about? This is why you should sleep earlier, your brain is practically withering in your skull already." Soyoung scoffed, opening the front door.

 

"Well, this is convenient." The boy shrugged, skirting around his sister to he hop over the low fence, landing with both feet on Chanyeol's garden. "Go on without me!"

 

His sister raised an eyebrow with incredulity, "You better not skip lessons. Father Minseok's already pissed that your attendance rate is dropping." Soyoung warned but didn't linger around any longer. Waving her hand dismissively, she left her brother, who had resorted to pulling petty faces behind her back.

 

Baekhyun rapped on the door of Chanyeol's house, bouncing on his feet. Fridays were always the best: both of them had free periods in the morning, which usually meant laying about in the common room snacking on biscuits stolen from Mrs. Jung's cooking class.

"Chanyeol! I want my biscuits, let's gooo." The boy called out, already growing impatient.

When there was no answer, he peered through the window, catching a glimpse of the living room from the gaps in the curtains.

 

Suddenly, the front door clicked open. As Baekhyun walked back to investigate, he found that there was nobody there, despite the door being eerily ajar.

Chalking it up to Chanyeol's idea of a prank, he made his way inside.

In the distance, he heard the sound of creaking wood, a rhythmic beat of surfaces scraping against each other resounding upstairs.

Hesitantly, Baekhyun traipsed up the stairway, worried that there was an intruder inside and Chanyeol's life was in danger, then he remembered that the boy could pretty much burn anyone to a crisp.

Echoing from inside Chanyeol's room, Baekhyun could hear soft murmurs, or was it…moans? His feet were right beside his friend's door, a beam of light spilling from the small gap.

Baekhyun gulped, his hands turning cold. He wanted to pretend he hadn't heard anything. He wanted to pretend it was all in his twisted imagination. He wanted to pretend that he wasn't in the least bit curious.

Unfortunately, that curiosity got the better of him as Baekhyun chose to lean in closer, peeking into the confines of Chanyeol's bedroom.

"Ky--ungsoo." Chanyeol moaned breathlessly, face flushed from the tips of his ears down to the line of his exposed collarbones. With his head tilted against the pillows, hair tangled into a mess from the friction, Chanyeol's body was sprawled on the bed, trembling hands clawing at the white sheets.

Kyungsoo's fingers dug into the muscle of Chanyeol's quivering thighs as he thrusted harder, the bed hitching with every movement. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh reverberated in the small room, leaving Baekhyun wide-eyed and completely speechless.

As Chanyeol's cries of pleasure grew louder, Baekhyun lurched backwards, catching a reflection of himself in the hallway mirror. His uniform had been replaced with his everyday clothing, framing his twenty-three year old body; behind him, a flowing black mass shifted, hands snaking on to his shoulders.

 

"What the hell are you showing me, you freak?!" Baekhyun exclaimed in vexation, turning around to face the figure.

 

"Isn't this what you wanted to see? I'm only reflecting your desires, your innermost thoughts." The figure sneered. "And you call _me_ a freak?"

 

"No, no, _fuck_ no." Baekhyun shook his head fervently. "None of anything you've ever shown me is what I've wanted to see. Stop putting words in my mouth! If anything, _you've_ wanted me to see all of this, you sick bastard."

 

"Oh but Baekhyun-" Its voice was sickeningly sweet, patronising him with its very tone. "You shouldn't lie to yourself…isn't this how you feel? Jealous that you've become your _best_ friends second choice? Don't you want to be there with him, instead of Kyungsoo?

 

"You really are a handful, aren't you?" Baekhyun huffed, crossing his arms in irritation, "I don't feel that way about Chanyeol. I never have, never will. I'm more concerned that your first line of action was to make me watch my friends having sex. I'm honestly disgusted."

 

"I didn't make you. You watched it of your own accord. You could've ignored it, but you didn't." It laughed snidely, pushing the door to Chanyeol's room open. Without another moment's thought, Baekhyun grabbed the handle and slammed the door shut.

 

"Oh _I'm sorry_ , when I walked into this house, I wasn't expecting some pervert to conjure up a sex scene." Baekhyun retorted, scrunching up his nose at the image ingrained in his mind.  "I don't give a rat's ass about what reaction your trying to invoke, but I'm not pathetic enough to worry about trivial things."

 

"Is your friendship trivial, Baekhyun?" The figure asked, closing the gap between itself and the man. "Or are you pretending not to care because you're lonely?"

It leaned it closer, the plumes of darkness brushing against Baekhyun's ear, "Terribly, terribly lonely."

 

Chanyeol's house dematerialised around Baekhyun, shifting into another scene.

"I do this because I enjoy watching you remember who you are.  _What_ you are now. That moment of realisation on your face is what I live for, Baekhyun." It cackled, voice hoarse and laced with malice, "I hope you keep on entertaining me."

 

"Baekhyun." It was Soyoung. Her body lay on the singed grass of the monastery, flesh melting on her bones as she screamed in anguish. All around her, smoke billowed from the crackling flames that licked the air, igniting everything indiscriminately. "Why didn't you stop Chanyeol?"

 

"Baekhyun." It was Minseok. Blood stained his white robes, trickled down from his nose and poured from the gaping wound in the side of his skull; his body had been split into two, one half completely severed from the other. "Why did you try to teleport?"

 

"Baekhyun." It was Kyungsoo. Bluish veins peered through the translucent white skin of his vein, running down from the corners of his eyes to his jawline; his lips were a stark purple, decaying tissue appearing in splodges on his face. "Why couldn't you save me?"

 

Thousands of voices melded into one, all speaking his name over and over again, soon resembling that of a chant. They taunted him, tormented him, told him that he had failed them. He was a failure. He couldn't help anyone. He should never have been born.

 

Baekhyun squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the sounds that surrounded him.

 

_Wake up_

 

His eyes snapped open.

The cycle repeated.

 

\---

 

 

Underneath the crumbling sun, framed by the destruction from a bygone battle, the two men drew in a breath and _blew_.

 

From Chanyeol's mouth, an intense gust of green mist spilled out, launching itself at Baekhyun, who in turn shielded himself with a wall of fire. Upon contact, the two breaths violently exploded into a cloud of earthy brown particles.

 

Energy exuded from Chanyeol's skin, trickling down to the ground and settling at his feet. By his will, he propelled himself towards the other man, leaving a trail of green-tinted dust in his wake. Chanyeol charged through the shroud of brown mist, splitting the flowing mass with the precision of a sharpened blade.

 

Baekhyun gritted his teeth, stepping backwards as he formed spheres of fire in both hands. Before he could react, Chanyeol was already an arm's length away; the man sprung into the air, aided by the green mist, and twisted his body to deliver a kick to Baekhyun's chest.

 

The vessel widened his legs into a firm stance, contracting his muscles to withstand the blow. As Chanyeol's foot connected with his body, Baekhyun clutched on to his lower leg, setting the cloth of Chanyeol's trousers alight as he attempted to sear his flesh.

Unable to keep himself suspended in the air, Chanyeol tumbled to the ground, groaning in pain as the force of the impact spread through his upper back.

 

Holding Chanyeol by his ankle, Baekhyun dragged his body towards him, preparing another breath. As the vessel began to spew out fire, Chanyeol countered with Terra's breath, creating a second explosion of brown particles that forcibly broke Baekhyun's grip on Chanyeol as both men were sent flying backwards.

 

The taller man skid across the blackened ground, plumes of soot and dust rising from the earth as his body swept over the rough surface, only to be halted by a wooden beam that jutted from the surrounding wreckage. Chanyeol crashed into the debris, his torso bearing the brunt of the collision.

 

Baekhyun had managed to manipulate the heat waves around him, letting them push against his body to break his momentum. Unfortunately for him, the blistering heat was too much for his body to withstand, the back of his neck turning a sore red.

Doubling over due to the unexpected pain, Baekhyun cursed under his breath, "Why do I have to put up with this inferior body?"

 

Exhausted from the unrelenting heat, dizziness soon overcame Baekhyun, leading him to collapse on to the floor.

 

\---

 

In the darkness that enveloped Baekhyun, the man heard several voices as an unfamiliar scene unravelled before him.

 

"But father, Luna was the one that broke the vase! It wasn't me, and neither was it Terra." Sol exclaimed, the tips of his vibrant orange hair flaring out in all directions, akin to that of the flames of a roaring fire.

 

The Overseer raised his eyebrows, mildly surprised, "How rare for you to defend one of your brothers, Sol. Has Venus inspired you with her kindness as of late?"

 

"I'm not defending him, I'm simply stating the truth." Sol huffed, trying to keep up with his father's pace as they walked down the hallway. "Why punish all three of us when Luna is the only one to blame?"

 

"Luna himself hasn't admitted to his wrongdoings. If he even had a shred of guilt, he would have apologised by now." His father sighed, turning towards the view in the gaps between the pillars, which displayed the Dracones in all of its glory. "Unless he can swallow his pride, I suggest you better return to cleaning the courtyard."

 

Doing as he was told, Sol made his way back to the courtyard, seething with rage. Upon catching sight of Luna laying on the grass while Terra swept the leaves into a neat pile, Sol ran up to the second oldest, prepared to berate him.

 

"You’re a bastard, Luna. Just admit to it already!" Sol grabbed him by the collar, pulling his face closer until he was practically spitting on the younger Dragon, "I'm tired of being made to pay for _your_ mistakes."

 

Apathetic to his brother's anger, Luna stared at Sol dead in the eye, silver strands of hair grazing over his eyelashes, "Or we could just clean this bloody courtyard. It isn't that much work, Sol, or do you think you're above all of this?"

 

"You can talk! Terra's the only one doing the work!" Sol burst out, letting go of Luna as he raised his hands in exasperation.

  
"Exactly. Why don't you help him instead of shouting at me?" Luna smirked, laying back down on the grass while fixing his crumpled collar.

 

Unable to cope with broiling fury bubbling inside him, Sol growled in aggravation and walked away, loudly cursing at Luna as he made his way back inside the palace.

Bowing his head, Terra obediently continued to sweep the stone paving of the courtyard, the scratching of the broom's bristles filling the silence between him and his brother.

After a minute of cleaning, Terra suddenly stopped, craning his neck towards the sky, "Why did you tell him that I didn't do it?" He asked Luna, a tinge of hesitation in his tone.

 

"Don't get the wrong idea, Terra." Luna scoffed in response, turning on his side to fiddle with the grass blades, "Sol's a blast when he's riled up. You should try it some time, instead of being the goody-two-shoes that you usually are."

 

"Still, why take the blame?" Terra questioned further, swivelling his head to face his brother who had his back to him.

 

"Why not? It's not like I'm helping you anyway." Luna muttered, flicking an insect off a wildflower.

 

"…Thanks." Terra smiled, brushing strands of forest green hair to one side of his forehead.

 

"Like I said, don't get the wrong idea." Luna clicked his tongue, closing his eyes as he returned to napping.

 

Standing behind one of the marble pillars that framed the courtyard, Sol leant his head back against the clean white stone, letting his anger subside into an odd feeling of satisfaction.

 

Baekhyun watched Sol with mixed emotions, unsure of what to feel for the Dragon that was hell-bent on destroying Terra's Coelestia.

"Did you mean to show me this?" Baekhyun asked nervously. Sol turned to him, the bright yellow of his eyes piercing through the man with its intensity.

 

"…Truth be told, no." Sol answered with a frown on his lips. "Your body's unconscious right now, I can't stop you from peering into my soul."

 

"Heh, the almighty Sol can't even stop a commoner from looking into his memories." Baekhyun remarked, only to realise his mistake of trying to provoke a Dragon. Unusually, Sol dismissed his snide comment, choosing instead to fold his arms and rest his back against the pillar.

 

"You’re probably wondering why things ended up this way." Sol stated, his tone a stark contrast to the dark figure that plagued Baekhyun's mind. "Terra is my brother, and as family, I do care about him…but not enough to give up the title of Overseer."

 

"He's a coward, through and through. He's non-confrontational. He's soft." Sol criticized, uncaring of whether or not Baekhyun even wanted to listen, "I admire his work in trying to keep his brothers' powers at bay, but it's a fact that either Luna or I would be better. Well, me more than Luna."

 

"Fact? It seems to be a matter of opinion." Baekhyun chuckled, finding Sol's overflowing confidence more than amusing. "Because you couldn't accept that Terra was more suited to the job, you decided to throw a hissy fit."

 

Orange fumes seeped from the gaps in Sol's scowl, "You know, Chanyeol said the exact same thing right before I crushed his heart." The Dragon snarled, patience running thin at Baekhyun's audacity to insult him twice. "You better watch your words."

 

"Why don’t you prove to me wrong?" Baekhyun suggested, trying to conceal the fact that he was currently in a cold sweat. "If you're so capable, why don't you wake my body up?"

 

"Just watch me, peasant." Sol barked, smoke billowing from his mouth as his soul was engulfed in a yellowish aura. As the veil of smoke consumed him, Baekhyun hurled himself at Sol, latching on to the fading figure. "What on earth are you doing?!"

 

"You really are an idiot." Baekhyun smirked, letting his soul fuse with Sol's, their non-physical bodies conjoining into one entity. "Your soul has been exposed to mine this entire time and you haven't even thought of putting up any defences. No matter how strong you are, nothing can save you if you've practically let yourself become a sitting duck."

 

Before Sol could say anything in protest, his and Baekhyun's souls awoke in one conscious body. One that was directly in the path of Terra's breath.

 

\---

 

 

"STOP!" Baekhyun shouted, crawling off the ground quickly to avoid being blasted by an incoming plume of mist. Terra's breath whistled centimetres away from his ear, colliding into the trunk of a felled tree. "Chanyeol, I'm back in my body. Stop attacking me!"

 

"And I'm the Crown Prince!" Chanyeol rolled his eyes, readying another breath. "Your pathetic lies won't work on me Sol."

 

Just as Chanyeol blew, Baekhyun bent the waves of light streaming through Terra's breath, redirecting them towards the sky and away from himself, cleaving the green cloud that was fast approaching him.

Baekhyun muttered several words under his breath, and in a flash of white light, he had teleported to Chanyeol's side.

"Sol can't use light, it's me. It really is." Baekhyun assured his friend, who still had a dubious look on his face.

 

"I can sense two active souls in that body, Chanyeol - Baekhyun's and Sol's." Terra's voice boomed, erasing Chanyeol's doubts. "You need to eject Sol's soul so I myself can confront him."

 

"How do you suppose we do that?" Kyungsoo chimed in, having helped Chanyeol get back on his feet while Baekhyun was unconscious.

 

"We either kill Baekhyun, which will remove both of their souls, or Baekhyun fights Sol from within himself." Terra declared.

 

"While killing Baekhyun would probably be the easier option, I think that the second one is the most ethical." Junmyeon decided, rubbing Baekhyun's back out of pity.

 

"What a shame." Kyungsoo and Chanyeol commented in unison, snickering as Baekhyun scrunched up his nose in indignation.

  
"Wow, not even a 'Welcome back' or 'We missed you so much Baekhyun'." He snorted, narrowing his eyes at the two in irritation. "How rude."

As Chanyeol opened his mouth to retort, Baekhyun's vision blurred until he could see nothing but black. Feeling as though the world was spinning, his body collapsed into Junmyeon's arms.

 

\---

 

 

The moment Baekhyun's eyes opened once again, he didn't hesitate to conjure up strings of light as a fire sphere was hurled at him.

Beneath his feet and above his head, a never-ending white space stretched all around; he was unsure of where the world began and ended, but it was blatantly obvious that the ensuing battle would be a matter of life and death.

A rocket of fire whizzed by him, incinerating the ends of his hair. Several metres in front of him stood Sol, who had a murderous expression on his face; scales had appeared on his cheekbones and his nails were an inch longer than usual, making him look almost reptilian.

 

From Baekhyun's fingertips emerged strands of light that aimed themselves at the Dragon, who skilfully dodged them. In turn, Sol spewed out a shroud of fire, moulding it into a wall that seemed to grow bigger and bigger until the upper- and lowermost levels could no longer be seen.

 

In one swift motion, Sol punched the air, sending the wall hurtling towards Baekhyun like the front wave of a tsunami with the flames rolling over each other as they loomed closer to the man.

 

Fortunately for Baekhyun, fire tended to produce copious amounts of light energy. Without even flinching, Baekhyun bent the light waves of the firewall, but rather than dispersing them, he diverted the flames which had coalesced with his light threads in the direction of Sol.

 

Unaware of Baekhyun's powers infused with his own, Sol attempted to manipulate the incoming wall. Upon realising that he could not reshape his own creation, it was already too late.

The firewall struck the Dragon with an immense force. Baekhyun curled his fingers, curving the strands of light towards him, which caused the wall to collapse on Sol like waves breaking on the shore.

 

Due to the nature of fire, the impact was hardly damaging, especially for a being who was immune to heat but it had provided the perfect cover for Baekhyun.

While Sol regained his senses, the light wielder let his energy pulsate through his veins and out of his fingertips, slithering through the air towards Sol's body.

 

At the Dragon's feet, light seeped into the blood vessels of his non-physical form, illuminating his blood with a radiant glow. In a matter of seconds, Sol was paralysed, unable to even move his lips. Unwavering in his malevolence, Baekhyun stiffened his fingers, forcing Sol's body to contort and convulse in a grotesque manner.

 

Screaming out in pain, Sol spat out wretched curses, the capillaries in his eyes burning with light, "You don't know who you're dealing with. I can swallow your pathetic existence whole. I will crucify your family and make you watch as I bleed them dry." He roared, trying to fight against the light in his blood. As his muscles contracted, they were ripped apart by the sharpened filaments flowing beneath his skin.

 

"Even when you're like this, you still think you're strong?" Baekhyun taunted, pulling tighter on the strings as he kept his distance from the Dragon. "I feared you. I thought you were beyond my reach, but it turns out that power is all relative. You may have been a mighty force in the Dracones, but here, you're nothing but a maggot."

 

"If it isn't me that kills you, then Luna will." Sol cackled as his form disappeared from the white space, fragmenting into the emptiness around him.

 

As the Dragon completely vanished, so did Baekhyun, whose soul began to fill his body once again.

 

\---

 

Returning to the natural world, the light wielder smiled as he was greeted by a sky where the sun was still intact.

From his body rose a thick orange haze, which was what remained of Sol's soul as it removed itself from the man.

 

Though he found it difficult to concentrate due to his pounding headache, Baekhyun witnessed the soul be pulled into the earth, a low howl reverberating around him as Sol's energy was absorbed by Terra's body.

 

It was the happiest he had felt in what seemed like decades, yet no one else around him seemed to share the same sentiments.

He soon understood why, face falling as he shifted his attention back to the sky. The pastel blue of the heavens rapidly turned into a murky darkness as the veil of night enveloped Earth, an occurrence caused by only one possible entity.

 

Amidst the travelling clouds, Kyungsoo's body sat on a winged beast, looking down on the inhabitants of the Coelestia with an unreadable expression.


	21. To Say "Goodbye"

Amidst the travelling clouds, Kyungsoo's body sat on a winged beast, looking down on the inhabitants of the Coelestia with an unreadable expression.

 

Behind him, the thin fractures on the moon's surface widened into deep crevices, a brilliant white light bursting from within. A low bellow rumbled in the air, accompanied by the shrieks of a colossal awakened creature that began ripping apart its spherical cage.

Slabs of rock were flung from the moon as Luna's body pushed itself out, forcing the bonds of its celestial constraints to diminish in their strength.

 

As Luna drew in a breath in preparation for the transfer of his soul into his original body, a shard of ice struck his mount, stirring the winged beast.

Spinning around, Luna scowled, "Who dares attack me?"

He immediately caught sight of Minseok, who had been readying another burst of ice.

"Baekhyun, don't just stand there! Help!" The Court Mage ordered, unleashing a torrent of frosted air at Luna.

 

Baekhyun scrambled to his feet while Chanyeol started to create a barrier of fire in front of Junmyeon and Kyungsoo, who were practically powerless, only to be stopped when the latter placed a hand on his wrist.

"Just fight, Chanyeol. Don't worry about us." Kyungsoo pleaded, urging Chanyeol to join Baekhyun as he pushed him away.

Without speaking a word in protest, Chanyeol threw one last concerned glance before aiding the light wielder, hand slipping through Kyungsoo's as he left. As the two mages left their sides, Junmyeon passed Kyungsoo a stray sword, which had been part of the remains of the previous battle. An unspoken agreement was exchanged between the two.

 

Luna's mount plummeted to the ground, wings frozen solid. Before impact, the Dragon propelled himself off the beast, stabilising his body in the air with a bed of white mist beneath his feet.

 

His chest rose and fell as he breathed out, the dense fog trickling from his lip. Like a cascading waterfall flowing into a winding river, the gas slithered across the dusty floor towards Baekhyun and Chanyeol's feet.

Before they could react, spikes jutted from the haze, piercing in all directions. Baekhyun had narrowly avoided being impaled, the only evidence of which was the needle-sized hole in his shirt; Chanyeol, on the other hand, managed to side step several spikes, leaving himself unscathed.

 

Grasping the length of one spike in his hand, Baekhyun channelled his light through the solidified fog. In a matter of seconds, the white had been replaced with a blinding yellow glow that ended at the edge of Luna's bottom lip.

The Dragon hissed, pulling away in time before the light could enter his bloodstream.

While Luna was distracted by Baekhyun's light, Chanyeol glided across the ground, driven by plumes of smoke expelled from the palms of his hands. The entire area was soon engulfed in an ashen shroud, growing darker by the second.

 

For a moment, Luna was met with only silence as he surveyed the field from his vantage point. Nothing stirred in the sea of sooty smoke.

Growing agitated, Luna roared, clouds of white mist fuming from his mouth. Above his body, a whirlwind began to form, expanding and contracting as energy pulsated through the gas. Sparks of electricity crackled inside, becoming more violent as his creation grew in size.

 

Lightning emerged from the vortex, striking the ground with heated intensity as it split the dark veil of smoke.

Absorbed in tearing apart Chanyeol's cover, Luna was unaware of the rain of icicles rocketing towards him. Unable to even so much as protect himself, dozens of icicles stabbed his back, causing him to fall from the air as his body burned with unimaginable pain.

 

Luna lay on the floor in silence while the whirlwind and the smoke all but evaporated.

 

"Is it over?" Chanyeol asked breathlessly, pointing the question at no one in particular. "Is Luna's soul out yet?"

 

Kyungsoo walked over to Chanyeol's side, slowly approaching the body warily. Still cautious, Chanyeol grabbed the man's hand and pulled him back. "No. We need to be careful." He warned, feeling slightly awkward that, appearance-wise, it was Yixing who he was ordering around.

 

"I never thought I'd ever hear those words from your mouth, Chanyeol." Baekhyun laughed, barely even able to breathe himself. The exhaustion had caught up to him and he could feel his body aching for rest; the pain from the burns as a result of Sol's fire was exacerbated by the overuse of his own energy. Strenuous activity was one thing, but being manipulated mentally and physically by Sol was another, the latter completely draining him of all he was worth.

 

"Baekhyun. Go rest." Terra's voice boomed, sounding more like Sehun with the unconcealed worry in his tone. "Chanyeol, Luna's soul still has control of Kyungsoo's body. You indeed do need to be careful."

 

"Is it just me, or does it look like he's sleeping?" Jongdae appeared with Minseok by his side, wincing inwardly as he saw the blood pour out of the wounds. "Oh and thanks guys for _not_ including me. Really appreciate it."

 

"Now, you see, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not." Minseok commented, kneeling down beside Luna to inspect the damage.

 

"Well obviously not, who would want to be involved in this shitfest?" Jongdae snorted, leaning forward to glance at Kyungsoo's body out of curiosity. "But it did sting when you abandoned me at Veneris. I almost got run over by a rogue cabbage cart trying to find you."

 

"I didn't tell you _precisely_ because I knew this was going to be a shitfest." Minseok responded, refreezing the melting icicles embedded in Luna's back. "I'm honestly amazed that you managed to find us."

 

"It was pretty damn obvious, I mean, it isn't everyday that you see ice daggers raining from the sky." Jongdae grinned, walking over to Baekhyun, who had a similar expression on his face. "Nice work, it's great knowing that you aren't as incompetent as you look."

 

"Ahh, go to hell, Dae. Just go to hell." Baekhyun retorted calmly, his smile unwavering as he slapped Jongdae hard on the back.

 

"Sorry to interrupt, but isn't Kyungsoo's body going to die at this rate?" Junmyeon interjected, halting Minseok's attempts at completely solidifying Luna in a casket of ice. "We need to get rid of Luna's soul quickly, so what are the options Terra?"

 

"It is the same as before. You either kill Kyungsoo, which you're halfway through doing, or fight Luna's soul directly." Terra announced, his voice reverberating in the ground. The Court Mage, feeling guilty for not considering Kyungsoo's life, reversed the progression of ice spreading on the man's body whilst uttering an apology.

 

"No, Minseok. Don't get rid of the ice completely." Kyungsoo spoke up, pulling away from Chanyeol's grip on him as he drew closer to his real body. "We have the advantage, so let's keep it that way."

 

"How exactly are we going to send another soul into Kyungsoo's body?" Chanyeol asked Terra, watching as the frost on the body's torso thawed. It was conflicting, to say the least, whether or not he should've been relieved that the pace of Luna's breathing began to pick up; Chanyeol didn't want to say it, but keeping Kyungsoo's body alive was his top priority, having been able to tell that living in Yixing's body was taking its psychological toll on his friend.

After all, Kyungsoo's soul was the sole reason that Yixing was alive. While he preferred not to linger on it, Kyungsoo knew that Yixing had died long ago, a fact that was difficult to come to terms with when his own reflection was his father's.

 

"Sending in another soul is futile. Luna can manipulate souls, so the minute one of you enters Kyungsoo's body, the battle will already have fallen into my brother's favour." Terra explained. "To fight him, we must somehow corrupt his soul to weaken it's bond with the body."

 

"That's easier said than done." Baekhyun muttered, unaware that his own soul had previously been corrupted during his transition from the Coelestia to Sol and Luna's realm.

 

"You are indeed correct. To warp Luna's soul would mean sending it through a bridge between realms. Being in a human body makes my brother's soul more susceptible to the harmful nature of such travel." Terra continued, deciding to refrain from telling Baekhyun that his soul had done exactly the same thing, in fear of bringing back unpleasant memories. "Thanks to Sol's energy, I can form my own Gate from the Coelestia to another realm."

 

"Do you just happen to keep spare realms at hand?" Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, wondering how the supposedly weakened Dragon could manage to maintain a completely separate universe, which would obviously have a high consumption rate of energy.

 

"I didn't create it, nor do I manage it. The realm I speak of is a remnant of the previous Dracones, from which the new Dracones will be born once the Coelestia has produced enough energy to warrant its creation." Terra replied, the clarity of his voice wavering as he conjured a Gate in the vicinity of the group of men.

As the emerald light of the entrance glowed, Chanyeol and Junmyeon picked up Kyungsoo's body, slinging his arms around their shoulders.

Taking care not to damage the body any further, the two men placed Luna at the Gate, letting him become engulfed in the distorted waves.

 

\---

 

 

"Luna?" A sweet voice. A caring voice. His mother's voice. "Luna, what's wrong?"

 

"Nothing. Go eat without me, I'll have breakfast later." Luna mumbled from underneath his duvet, rubbing his eyes slowly. Why did they sting so much?

Beside his head, directly in line with the corner of his eye were clusters of damp patches on the bed sheets, like small droplets of rain on dry earth.

 

"No, tell me what's wrong first." His mother gently smoothed the fabric covering Luna's head, choosing to sit on the edge of her son's bed out of concern.

 

Hesitating to answer, Luna let the silence fill their dwindling conversation, hoping that his mother would just give up and leave. When she continued to stroke his head without another word, the Dragon bit his lip and eventually decided to speak, "You prefer Sol and Terra over me, don't you? Just admit it." Bitterness laced his words as he twisted the duvet in his fists.

 

"How could you say that? Ever since you were born from the Coelestia, I have only ever loved you as _equally_ as Sol and Terra." His mother replied passionately, worried about her son's sudden confession.

 

"Even though Sol died because of me? Even though I'm going to rip Terra limb from limb?" Luna's voice cracked as he threw off the duvet. A manic grin played on his lips as he glared at his mother with unadulterated malice.

Without holding back, he stabbed the woman through the heart with his hand, nails digging into the fleshy cavity of her chest. The Dragon laughed in delight as his mother writhed in pain, spluttering blood on to the floor.

"What pathetic illusion is this, Terra? Do you think making me _cry_ or using our mother is going to change me?" Luna snarled, letting the woman's body crumple to the ground in a puddle of her own blood. "You should know better than to try and manipulate my emotions."

 

"Of course, brother, how silly of me. You are insane, after all." Terra responded, his voice vibrating in the walls of Luna's bedroom. "No wonder Venus chose Sol over you. You're a disgrace to our kind."

 

Luna fell about into hysterics, crudely cleaning his bloodied hands with the linen sheets. "Oh that is low indeed Terra. Do you think I even give a damn about that whore?"

 

"I pity you Luna, have you always been like this?" Undeterred, Terra continued to taunt his brother, waiting for the moment to truly get under Luna's skin.

 

"Do you want me to tell you my _sad_ story?" Luna scoffed, spitting out his words. "What do you want to hear? That I love you? That I'm only being driven by jealousy?"

 

"Yes, I do want you to tell me." Terra calmly answered, observing the older Dragon's reaction. "I want to hear you confess that you're a self-made problem child that craved father's attention. You always called Sol obnoxious for trying to get on father's good side, yet you did everything you could to even have him _look_ at you."

 

"I don't care about whether or not you loved us because that doesn't matter now." Terra continued, taking delight in the angered expression on Luna's face. "The loneliness has made you go insane. Sol had been your final anchor, the only one to keep you in check, despite how you acted like it was the other way around."

 

"Stop it." Luna growled, white fumes churning around his mouth as he seethed with rage.

 

Disregarding Luna's interruption, Terra carried on, "You tried to look aloof in front of your younger brother, when the reality was no-one wanted to be with you. You antagonised Sol because he was the only one who cared the slightest bit about you. Mother was disgusted by you. Father shut you out."

 

"Don't test me, Terra." The older Dragon roared, silvery scales appearing on his cheeks as a pair of horns protruded from his crown.

 

"I admit it, father only chose me as Overseer not because I was more qualified, but because _you_ are deserving of absolutely nothing. _You_ are a parasite." Terra concluded, satisfied with the reaction he evoked from Luna. "It was never a question of who you loved, but of who loved you."

 

"You fucking brat, I'm going to kill you." Luna's voice boomed, the white haze spewing from his mouth in uncontrollable torrents.

As his fury multiplied in intensity, the foundations of the illusion trembled violently before being torn apart under the force of Luna's overflowing energy. It had been far too overwhelming for Terra to contain, leaving the Dragon to abandon confining his brother in the remnant of the Dracones.

Terra expelled Luna from the realm, driving his soul through the bridge once again to further corrupt it.

 

In the Coelestia, Kyungsoo's body was catapulted from the Gate's entrance, skidding across the floor as silvery gas evaporated from the skin.  Luna dug his hands into the dirt, talon-like fingers deeply cutting the ground as he attempted to break his momentum. The Dragon eventually stopped himself and like a feral beast, he crouched on the floor with his teeth bared, the sharpened canines prodding into his lower lip.

Snarling, Luna watched the men with hostility, eyes shifting side to side in jerky movements.

 

"What's wrong with him?!" Baekhyun exclaimed in disgust.

 

"Luna's soul is extremely unstable. You need to keep fighting him while I try to untether his soul from Kyungsoo's body." Terra ordered the men who had been looking apprehensively at Luna. The Dragon's limbs had began convulsing violently, as if he was about to enter a seizure. "There's no time to waste. Hurry!"

 

Chanyeol was the first to react. Immense heat flowed from his body, the soil beneath his feet becoming parched as the moisture within boiled into steam. The water vapour soon rose from the ground, leaving the air around Chanyeol uncomfortably thick and humid.

The Channel shaped the cloud of warm, moist air into a wall of dense gas, which he thrust in Luna's direction. Curling his fingers in towards his palms, Chanyeol willed the wall to envelop the Dragon in a sphere of manipulated air waves. In sequence, he clenched his hands into fists and pulled them backwards, rapidly driving the intense heat away from the gaseous sphere and into the surroundings.

 

"Minseok! Aim your frost at that sphere!" Chanyeol snapped his head towards the Court Mage, who had been watching in bewilderment.

 

Not being one to ask many questions while his life - and the world - was at risk, Minseok did as he was told. As the tendrils of pale blueish frost came into contact with the gas, the surface of the entire sphere crystallised into ice instantly.

Sunlight reflected on the cold exterior, bouncing off in all directions like light through a crystal ball. Without having to think twice, Baekhyun took control of the beams of light as he began to manoeuvre them like puppet strings. While attempting to connect the light strands with Kyungsoo's body, cracks started to form in the glacial structure.

 

In an unprecedented explosion, shards of ice were sent soaring through the air as Luna, whose uninhibited savagery had become evident in his unruly appearance, leapt out of his broken cage. The Dragon sprinted across the battlefield, white fumes spewing from the edges of his mouth as he charged towards the mages.

 

Minseok quickly formed a spike of ice that protruded from the ground in an effort to impale Luna's leg, but had misjudged the Dragon's speed. For a second, it seemed as if Luna disappeared all together, having fallen out of the men's line of sight.

 

As Chanyeol observed the field and sky anxiously, he was suddenly pushed to the floor as Luna knocked him down by the chest. Sitting atop Chanyeol, Luna wrapped his hands around Chanyeol's neck in an excruciatingly tight grip. Minseok and Baekhyun ran over to help but were immediately thrown backwards by an invisible force.

With his hands curled into fists, Luna had his arm outstretched towards the duo, not once breaking eye contact with Chanyeol.

 

"Gra..vi...ma...ni..tion?" Chanyeol managed to utter, the pressure on his throat growing stronger.

 

"You fools think that manipulating my soul wouldn't backfire?" Luna cackled, his hoarse laughter grating on Chanyeol's ears. "Weakening my connection with this body has opened up Kyungsoo's original abilities to me. What a completely idiotic move."

 

"What's even more idiotic is that you've let your guard down." Kyungsoo spoke from behind Luna, managing to appear undetected. Without hesitation, he plunged the long blade through Luna's neck, driving the steel deep into the body. Upon withdrawing the sword, Kyungsoo flinched as blood spurted from the gaping wound of his own body.

But Luna did not fall.

Unable to turn around the face the man, the Dragon crushed Yixing's body under the force of gravity.

In an unceremonious splatter of flesh and blood, the two bodies fell to the ground beside Chanyeol.

 

No words could leave Chanyeol's mouth, only the choked sounds of devastation.  No tears formed in his eyes as the shock overcame him, paralysing his body as blood rushed to his head.

As Luna's soul rose from Kyungsoo's deceased body, the men watched in silence as Terra mutilated the remains of his brother, consuming the fragments without even allowing Luna the luxury to voice his agony. Compared to his treatment of Sol's soul, Terra was vicious and crude in the handling of Luna's. Hatred rippled through the final Dragon's actions, waning as his brother's energy became part of his.

 

Once not an essence of Luna had remained, night returned to day while the moon reverted back to its spherical shape.

Despite their successes, no one celebrated, choosing instead to wallow in their sorrow.

"Terra, tell me you can save Kyungsoo. Tell me that he can come back." Chanyeol muttered, gaze transfixed on the bloodied body of his friend. "Tell me that his soul is still here."

 

When he received no answer, Chanyeol looked to the sky seething with anger, " _Answer me Sehun."_

 

"…This is Kyungsoo's final choice." Terra replied without giving way to any emotion. "He wants you to respect his decision."

 

"I _refuse_." Chanyeol rejected him, chest tightening in frustration and misery. "I don't care if I'm being immature, but I want Kyungsoo _here_ so I can kick him for being an ass and leaving me without even saying goodbye."

 

"There's nothing I can do." Terra stated curtly, the volume of his voice gradually weakening.

 

"Don't fucking lie to me." Chanyeol burst out, face turning red as the warm tears began to sting his eyes. "If you, Sol and Luna can play around with our souls then you sure as hell can save Kyungsoo."

 

"Chanyeol calm down, you of all people should know that it's not like that." Junmyeon firmly scolded his son, having already had an inkling of Kyungsoo's own plan before his death. "None us wanted Kyungsoo to die, but he attacked Luna while fully aware of the consequences. It was his body, and therefore it was solely his choice."

 

"It was a stupid choice." Chanyeol spat out, quickly wiping his eyes with his sleeve to clear his blurring vision. "And why is he only talking through Terra? Why won't he talk to me?"

 

Wind whistled through the gaps in the debris, drowning out the crackling of dying fires. In the distance, the panic of the public had subsided, replaced by confused whispers that eventually melted into the hustle and bustle of daily life. After reassurances from equally puzzled guards, the inhabitants of Sie-Orphell continued about their day, leaving the events in the sky as another conversation piece for the nightly pub crawl.

"Terra?" Chanyeol's voice was hushed, the sinking feeling in his stomach growing stronger.

This time for sure, there would be no answer - not now or ever again.

 

With Terra's full return to his spiritual body, Earth would slowly but surely change to the original state intended by the Overseer. While the group of men mourned the loss of a friend in East Sie-Orphell, the wheels of time continued to spin, bringing with it an irreversible change.

The Coelestia would finally enter the stage where it tended towards both death and rebirth, a process far beyond the control of the Children of Man.


	22. One Last Time

A gruelling six year war came to an end on a sunny afternoon. It started out as little murmurs in the back alleys and quiet corners of government buildings before trickling on to the streets in a steady flow. No one had anticipated it nor prepared for it when a sweet song started to play.

The traditional melody signifying the official end of a war ringed in neighbourhoods, in hamlets, in forest cabins. Atop the canopies of trees, through the wreckage of razed villages and in the laughter of playing children, a triumphant tune sang to the weary people.

 

It was the end, but not that of a life or a lineage. It was a welcomed end.

 

However, for Terra, it meant that a much-awaited beginning was drawing closer. As the Dragon slowly withdrew the flow of energy from Earth, a spark of an old realm reawakened parallel to that of the Coelestia. For the first time in a millennia, Terra would be able to see the Dracones in its physical form again, but it was a matter of patience.

 

Unfortunately for the Children of Man, magic was no longer sustainable. Though they had not been told, the mages could tell that collectively, their abilities had been gradually weakening ever since the end of the war.

While some were rightfully displeased, the origins of their powers had already come to light following the dethroning of the Emperor of the Imperial kingdom years ago.

This, too, was a matter of patience as they waited for the magic in the land to all but disappear.

 

\---

 

_One year later_

 

_Duras_

 

"Jongin!" Chrystal called from the doorway of their house, her two-month old daughter cradled in her arms. "Jessica's going to visit later, so can you pick up some oxtails from the butcher's before you come home?"

 

"Why can't we have chicken?" Jongin asked as he closed the garden gate, waving childishly at his son who returned the gesture with a gleeful giggle.

 

"There's better food out there than chicken, honey." Chrystal sighed, rolling her eyes as her husband grimaced at the thought. "Now go to work, you're going to be late."

 

"Fine, but I at least expect something of the poultry variety." Jongin negotiated, unmoving from the spot as he waited for his wife's answer. "Preferably crispy."

 

"If you're going to be like this, just buy the darn chicken." Chrystal gave in, chuckling as Jongin grinned ear to ear, unable to contain his joy.

With a bounce in his step, the man made his way to Solis Academy for the first lesson of the day.

 

As a continuation of Irem-Unis' compulsory education act, Academies of Magic were made to withdraw their emphasis on training students in magic wielding due to the fact that it was becoming a dying art - quite literally. Instead, a national curriculum was introduced, which allowed for customisation depending on the specific academy's principles.

 

Solis continued to teach its students about the importance of appreciating and nurturing life, but through agriculture rather than defensive measures in combat.

For Jongin, it meant that his lack of magic wielding abilities no longer segregated him from his colleagues. Now, it was his poor farming skills.

 

As Jongin reached the numerous rows of newly built greenhouses that bordered the school building, a familiar obnoxious laugh resounded behind him. The man jumped as a hand slapped him square on the back, followed by an arm being slung around his shoulders.

"How's my not-so-little Mr. Green Fingers?" Baekhyun joked, ignoring Jongin's puzzled expression. "Here to whisper to the plants?"

 

"Um, no?" Jongin answered hesitantly. Out of all the teachers at Solis, Baekhyun was somehow the most and least approachable: while he was easy to talk to, Jongin couldn't help but feel like his sanity was being tested with every moment he spent in the ex-General's company.

 

"Pity, you could do with the practice." Baekhyun shrugged, detaching himself from the confused man. "And lighten up, I'm just kidding around."

 

"Err…yes. Haha." Jongin replied stiffly, forcing himself to smile despite how awkward it looked.

 

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes, pursing his lips as he scrutinised Jongin, who continued to look at him blankly with a strained smile. "I feel like I should be offended, but oh well."

 

Being Jongin's superior, there were a lot of things Baekhyun could get away with, but he never seemed to fall through with any of his schemes since Jongin was unfazed by practically all of Baekhyun's attempts to prank or embarrass him.

Already bored, Baekhyun waved a lazy farewell at Jongin before turning his attention to one of the greenhouses. "Taehyung, do _not_ eat that fruit. How many times have I told you that its inedible?!"

 

As Baekhyun sprinted towards the boy, Jongin breathed out a sigh of relief, having narrowly avoided the man's daily sequence of awful jokes. The two had originally met at his and Chrystal's wedding, the acting priest being none other than Minseok, who offered to wed the couple after bearing the news of Sehun's death.

From what Jongin had been told, the boy had been terminally ill and passed away quietly in his sleep. Even the funeral was a small affair with the whereabouts of the grave unknown to Jongin.

It all seemed very odd to the man, yet he didn't ask any further questions out of respect for Sehun.

 

"Oh and Jongin!" Baekhyun poked his head out of the entrance to the greenhouse while pinching Taehyung's ear in one hand. "Minseok wants to talk to you in the church at lunch!"

 

Nodding in agreement, Jongin continued to walk towards Solis' main building, mentally preparing himself for a morning lesson with the first years.

 

\---

 

 

Several months after the end of the war, the monastery attached to Solis had been completely rebuilt. No longer wanting anything to do with the Sun Dragon, Minseok had converted to a different faith by redesigning his church into one that would become a monument to Terra and a lasting memory of Sehun.

Although he was labelled as a pagan worshipper, the Court Mage was pleased, more so than he had been when he was a priest of the Sun Dragon.

 

Despite the abandonment of faith in Sol and Luna, the general public was still slow in accepting the idea of Terra, the Coelestia and the Dracones. However, Minseok didn't care.

No matter how long it would take, the man was prepared to speak in the name of the Dragon who suffered for centuries in silence.

 

But before Minseok could embark on his mission to spread the faith, there was a _minor_ hurdle that needed to be overcome.

It presented itself in the form of his and Jongdae's marriage.

 

"Jongin." Minseok uttered the man's name, looking at him with a grave expression as he propped his elbows on the desk of his newly refurbished office. "This is too much. I can't handle this."

 

"What's wrong?" Jongin gave the question cautiously, the tension having become palpable in the air.

 

"Answer me honestly. Don't sugarcoat your words and just tell it to me upfront." Minseok began, letting out a strained sigh. "Roses or lilies?"

 

"Neither, hydrangeas are superior." Jongin answered without missing a beat.

 

In quick succession, Minseok threw him another question, "White with gold accents, or monochrome?"

 

"White with gold accents, this isn't a funeral." Jongin shot back.  
 

 

"Orchestra or folk band?"

 

As if those very words had insulted him, Jongin scoffed, "Why are those even options? Hire a singer for goodness sake."

 

Clapping his hands in content, Minseok leaned back into his chair with a small satisfied smile on his face. "I knew I could count on you."

 

"While I'm happy that you're relying on me, Minseok, why can't you discuss this with Jongdae?" Jongin questioned, the unease having all but melted into the warmth of the room. "He _is_ going to be your husband after all."  
 

"I've tried! Trust me, I have." Minseok exclaimed defensively. "But it stresses me out how uptight he is. I've never seen him act like this before! Every time I suggest something, he brings up his experiences as an innkeeper, which somehow automatically negates _all_ of my opinions."

 

"If it's a matter of experience, just get a wedding planner to decide everything for you. That way, _both_ of your opinions are automatically negated." Jongin suggested, laughing inwardly as Minseok's composure was completely lost.

 

"Good idea." Minseok agreed, a subtle smirk on his lips. "You're hired."

 

"…Excuse me?"

 

"Congratulations!" Minseok ignored him, rising from his desk. "We'll rendezvous here at six in the evening tomorrow! Leave your pride at home, Jongdae's probably going to rip you apart with his 'artist's instinct'."

 

"Ah, wait a minute." Jongin protested but was immediately cut short by the sound of the door slamming shut as Minseok left his office without another word.

At that moment, as he sat abandoned in the empty office, Jongin seriously reconsidered whether becoming a teacher at Solis had been worth it if his dignity was being constantly tested by Baekhyun and Minseok.

 

\---

 

 

Clouds of dirt rose from the dusty floors of the training grounds, which had been accompanied by shouts and the scuffling of feet. The dull echo of wooden dummies being struck filled the air as the instructors chanted combat sequences, carefully examining each student in hopes that one would fall out of time with the rest of the group. It wasn't so much as to scold the deviant student, but to fulfil the need to actually _do_ something other than standing around and repeating the same words over and over again.

 

Head Swordsman Junmyeon walked alongside the border of the grounds, watching the perfectly executed sequences with pride. Trailing behind him was Chanyeol, who really couldn't care less.

 

"Father can I leave early?" Chanyeol spoke impatiently, slightly annoyed by his father's slow pace. It was difficult to contain his long strides, especially around people much shorter than him.

 

"But you've just got here!" Junmyeon swerved around to meet Chanyeol eye-to-eye, an exasperated expression on his face.

 

"I don't mean _now_ , I meant if I could leave an hour or so earlier than usual." Chanyeol corrected himself.

 

"Chanyeol, I already let you leave one hour before school finishes. You need to start taking your future more seriously." Junmyeon sighed, rubbing his forehead in irritation.

 

While Sol and Luna had deprived Chanyeol of six years of his youth, the man had never really seriously considered his future. At seventeen, all Chanyeol wanted to do was become a battlemage, despite his father's disapproval, but that option was no longer viable.

All of his friends had already moved on with their lives and it seemed as if he was the only one being left behind. Even Baekhyun had cycled through three different careers, which made the reality even more cruel for the ex-Channel.

The glory of the title was short-lived, yet the consequent suffering was far worse than Chanyeol had ever imagined; however, he didn't let himself become bitter about it, even though it was growing more difficult considering his lack of enthusiasm for his current job.

 Although Chanyeol was more than thankful to his father for allowing him to work as his assistant at the Sword Academy, neither teaching children about combat nor sword-fighting was his passion, and it clearly showed in his attitude.

 

As Junmyeon's anger eventually subsided, the Head Swordsman observed the dejected look on his son's face.

"I can see that working at this academy isn't making you happy, so tell me what you want to do." Junmyeon offered, placing a hand on Chanyeol's shoulder in consolation.

 

"I…don't know. I need time to think." Chanyeol confessed, feeling guilty as his father looked at him with worried eyes. "I'm going to travel around a bit and hopefully I'll find _something_ I can do."

 

A brief silence stagnated their conversation, until Junmyeon decided to break it, "I understand. It's been a difficult year."

 

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you one day." Chanyeol muttered, his head bowed apologetically.

 

"You don't need to do that. I just want to see you doing something that you love." Junmyeon reassured him, a small smile appearing on his lips as his son's face lit up. "So why did you want to leave early?"

 

"Jongdae's making Union dishes at his inn and he said if I get there early, I can sample each one _for free_." Chanyeol declared excitedly, oblivious to how his father shook his head in disappointment. "You're welcome to come along."  
 

"I'll pass." Junmyeon denied the offer, turning around to continue his walk to the main building. "Since I'm in a good mood…well, barely in a good mood, you can have the day off. We'll talk later tonight."

 

Without even trying to conceal his joy, Chanyeol whooped and practically ran off the school grounds, delighted that he didn't have to spend another minute in the presence of violent overzealous children.

 

 

\---

 

 

In the centre of Duras, situated between a tailor's and a bakery, Jongdae's new inn had stood. Following the events at Sie-Orphell, the innkeeper had decided to set up a second version of "The Dancing Scorpion" after realising everyone in his immediate circle of friends was going to return to Duras.

Jongdae concluded that it was the best decision he had made in life since it led to him solidifying his relationship with Minseok as well as reviving his love for innkeeping.

 

"Welcome to the Da- oh, it's you Chanyeol." Jongdae scrunched his nose, exaggerating his displeasure at the sight of the man, who appeared in the doorway of the inn with a ravenous look on his face.

 

"I appreciate that Jongdae." Chanyeol deadpanned as he sat himself down at a table. "Now please bring me my food."

 

"Hold your horses, I've only made one dish! When I said _early_ , I meant after you finished work, not thirty minutes before noon!" Jongdae huffed, looking at the clock in disbelief.

 

"My stomach knows no time except lunchtime. And breakfast. And dinner. And all the snacking breaks in between." Chanyeol stated matter-of-factly, shrugging off Jongdae's contemptuous glare. "Since it's rumbling, it must be lunchtime."

 

"There really is no point in reasoning with you, so you can have one _small_ serving." Jongdae emphasised his point by pinching the air with his fingers, the narrowest of gaps between the tips.

 

"Then I guess you better get started on that." Chanyeol smirked, erupting into laughter as Jongdae tutted in annoyance and stomped into the kitchen.

Just as the innkeeper had left the pub area, Baekhyun followed by Minseok and Jongin burst into the inn with a bottle of wine in his hands.

 

"Where's the food?" Baekhyun asked, frowning as he scanned the room.

 

"Jongdae's only made one dish because apparently, it's too early." Chanyeol explained, turning his attention to Minseok and Jongin. "How did Baekhyun manage to convince you to skip work?"

 

"He didn't. We just don't have anymore classes to teach for the rest of the day." Minseok replied, joining Chanyeol at his table.

Chanyeol greeted Jongin with a smile, gesturing the younger man to sit beside him.

 

After moving to Duras by Chrystal's request, as her older sister had lived in the town, Jongin quickly became acquainted with a variety of people, the first of which being Minseok and Baekhyun, and so as a matter of course, Chanyeol eventually followed.

The two men had only grown closer when they both realised that they shared a mutual friend - Kyungsoo.

It started out as a random topic that crawled its way into their small talk, before becoming an exchange of memories that was concluded by news of his death.

Devastated by the loss of two friends, Jongin found solace in the company of the group of men, who were more than understanding of his grief. For the first time in his life, Jongin had belonged to a circle of friends, and it made life in Duras all that more enjoyable.

 

From the kitchen emerged Jongdae, who was pushing along a trolley of dishes with plate covers. Unperturbed by the number of his guests multiplying, he stopped the trolley beside Chanyeol's table and with a flourish, Jongdae revealed the food underneath.

 

"If you don't want it, get out." Jongdae warned, passing a plate to each person.

 

Raising an eyebrow, Baekhyun prodded the pasta with his fork, "Jongdae, you said you were cooking Union food. This is spaghetti."

 

"And that had its origins in the Union, so what's your point?" Jongdae responded dryly as he laid down the napkins alongside the plates.

 

"Nevermind."

 

"Oh." Jongin muttered softly, suddenly remembering one small detail. "Yixing was from the Union, right?"

 

"So I guess now I know why spaghetti was Kyungsoo's favourite." Chanyeol added in a melancholic tone.

 

Sighing, Jongdae finished setting up the table whilst none too pleased about the change in atmosphere, "Let's not make this depressing. We've mourned enough, it's time to move on."

 

"You're right, Jongdae." Chanyeol agreed, clapping his hands to draw everyone's attention to himself. "On that note, I've got some news for you all."

 

"Hurry up then, I'm starving." Baekhyun remarked, swinging his legs underneath the table impatiently.

 

"I'm going on a trip. Alone." Chanyeol declared confidently, kicking Baekhyun's leg to stop him from shaking the table as a result of his fidgeting. "I want to travel the continent, y'know, find a passion and all of that."

 

"That's…really ambitious. I mean, you've always been like that but this is pretty much the last thing I expected you to say." Baekhyun admitted, tucking his legs in and away from Chanyeol.

 

"Agreed. Isn't it going to be dangerous? What if you suddenly run out of money? What if you get attacked by bandits and die in a ditch somewhere?" Jongin fretted excessively, wondering if the man had lost his mind and if that had been due to overexposure to Baekhyun.

 

"Loving the support, I really am." Chanyeol huffed, pursing his lips in vexation.

 

"Support is one thing, Chanyeol, but this is a matter of your safety. You aren't exactly the most careful of people and backpacking by yourself around the continent _is_ dangerous." Baekhyun expressed his worry, as he always did when Chanyeol made reckless plans, even though he himself was equally capable of being reckless.

 

"You'll die in two weeks tops." Jongdae chimed in as he poured the wine into the glasses.

 

Exasperated, Chanyeol felt a clarification was called for. "First of all, I'm not backpacking. Secondly, I know when I'm out of my depth and I _can_ come back if things are getting tough."

 

"I say go for it. You're in your mid-twenties, it's the best time to explore the world." Minseok spoke through a mouthful of spaghetti, feeling that the overreaction from the others was unnecessary. "But seriously, don't die out there."

 

"I say _don't_ go for it. I honestly can't understand your reasoning. Two of your friends have died in the past year, yet you want to risk _your_ life?" Jongin disapproved unabashedly, slightly annoyed that the others weren't sharing the same sentiments as him.

 

Although moved that the younger man cared so much for him, Chanyeol had already become set on travelling. "Jongin, thanks for the concern, but there really is no risk. Everyone is just exaggerating. Yeah, I admit it, I'm pretty clumsy but I can defend myself better than most people. Just trust me on this."

 

"As long as you're back in time for mine and Minseok's wedding, then there's no problem." Jongdae commented. Despite fearing for Chanyeol's face, he was somewhat a firm believer of trying out new things. "Eat, I need your opinions."

 

"What opinions? You don't accept anything worse than 'absolutely fantastic'." Baekhyun scoffed, but his tone lacked any venom as he relished the taste of the spaghetti.

 

"Because anything worse than 'absolutely fantastic' is a straight up lie." Jongdae grinned, knowing that he was right.

 

For the rest of the morning and the afternoon, the group of men enjoyed the plethora of dishes that Jongdae started to churn out, all of which _had_ been absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately for Jongin, his promise to his wife had been completely forgotten, resulting in a week of no poultry-related dishes.

 

 

\---

 

 

 

Following discussions with Junmyeon about his future plans, Chanyeol began his journey after two weeks of planning, as requested by his father, who had been more than willing to help despite his concerns.

 

Tenilur was Chanyeol's first destination. The last time he had visited the town was during Kyungsoo's funeral, which had been held atop a hill on which stood a giant oak tree. With the headstone erected beside Yixing and Amber's, Kyungsoo's grave had watched over his hometown in silence.

It had seen Tenilur slowly rise from the ashes as the townspeople returned to their war-torn home. Fortunately, the damage Sol and Luna caused was not widespread, having left several small areas untouched. In a matter of months, the majority of the houses were rebuilt and most businesses were running once again.

 

When Chanyeol saw Tenilur for the second time, the transformation had made the town virtually unrecognisable. The wreckage had been completely cleared and the only evidence of the war was the addition of graves to the cemetery.

 

Upon reaching the peak of the hill, Chanyeol basked in the warm breeze that brushed against his skin. Sunlight streamed through the dense cover of oak leaves and on to the graves, decorating the grassy area in a patchwork of light.

 

Chanyeol noticed that someone had been taking care of the site, seeing as how the grass blades were neatly trimmed and a fresh bouquet of flowers rested beside each stone slab. It warmed his heart to think that someone spent their time caring for the graves, although Chanyeol felt guilty that it hadn't been him.

 

Truth be told, he had been trying to keep Kyungsoo out of his mind, since thinking about his friend only ever brought him grief.

 When Chanyeol lingered on those thoughts for too long, bittersweet and vain hopes filled his mind. What had Kyungsoo felt for him? In fact, what had he felt for Kyungsoo? Would they ever have chosen to marry like Minseok and Jongdae? Would they have a family like Chrystal and Jongin?

 

As Chanyeol stared at the epitaph on Kyungsoo's headstone, the sorrow and the regret began to overwhelm him. He hated himself for trying to forget, when all he wanted was for Kyungsoo to talk to him again, to tell him that he was annoying, to laugh at his poorly timed jokes, to hold him when he slept at night.

 

For every moment spent trying to disregard their memories together, the heavier the despair weighed on his soul.

 

More than hating himself, Chanyeol _despised_ how he had handled Kyungsoo' death. Ignoring it. Never visiting his grave. Before Jongin had mentioned Kyungsoo when they first met, Chanyeol hadn't even spoken about the man to his other friends.

There wasn't a good reason for it, he was just petty. Anger blinded him; he felt Kyungsoo's leave was unjustified, foolish and perhaps selfish, even though Chanyeol knew that Kyungsoo was anything but selfish.

Despite having already seen Kyungsoo's lifeless body being lowered into the ground, Chanyeol refused to accept his death.

 

"I know you're listening." Chanyeol muttered, tears stinging the corner of his eyes. "I'm still annoyed that you didn't say goodbye."

 

Even though he was answered with nothing more than the rustling of leaves, Chanyeol continued to speak to Kyungsoo's grave. "You know, I don't even have anything to remember you by but to be honest with you, I don't think I'll ever forget."

 

"I never managed to say it, but I love you." Chanyeol sniffed as the tears streaked his cheeks. "I'm still not sure in what way, but all I know is that I love you."

 

Craning his neck towards the sky, Chanyeol bit back the urge to shout his words, "So for God's sake, _say_ something to me."

 

There was no reply and there would never be one. _That_ was what Chanyeol refused to accept.

Dejected, the man turned to leave; however, by some twist of fate, he somehow caught sight of a steel key partially covered by his foot.

After picking it up, Chanyeol examined the minuscule words engraved on the bow.

 

"The Lakeside Moon?" Chanyeol mumbled, before turning over to view the other side. "…Zhang Yixing?"

Raising his head, Chanyeol surveyed the view of Tenilur. Aside from the rows of chimney tops and a sea of ruddy brown tiled roofs, there was nothing that particularly stood out.

Chanyeol decided to search the town himself in hopes of finding the door to which the key belonged.

 

It turned out that he didn't have to travel very far. At the foot of the hill, opposite to the side which he walked up, there was a shop with a sign bearing the same exact words as the key.

The words had faded and the window was coated with a thick layer of dust. Directly beneath the shop window was a row of plants, all of which had withered in their cracked terracotta pots.

Although the shop seemed to have avoided the destructive touch of the war, time had different plans.

 

Chanyeol carefully slipped the key into the keyhole of the entrance, forcing it to turn against the rusted lock mechanism.

As the door creaked open, clouds of dust greeted him, pricking at his eyes and irritating his nose. After a sneezing fit, Chanyeol recomposed himself and took in the sight of the abandoned merchandise and dust-tinted air.

"Huh, Kyungsoo did mention that Yixing was a merchant." Chanyeol said to no one in particular. With his sleeve, Chanyeol wiped a line of dust off the window to let some light in.

 

The beams of light crawled across the room and ended at the counter, on top of which was an abnormally new document. Out of place with its surroundings, the white of the paper seemed oddly clean and untouched by the dust lingering around it.

 

Curious, Chanyeol picked up the document and read its contents. Printed across the top in bold letters were the words: "Certificate of Ownership." with Chanyeol's details written below.

Not knowing how to react, Chanyeol burst out into laughter at the absurdity of the situation.

 

"So you can transfer ownership of this shop to me, but you can't even say hello?" Chanyeol remarked bitterly, clutching the certificate in his hands. "Are you kidding me right now?"

As he set the document down in disbelief, Chanyeol heard the chiming of bells in the distance. The melodious sound was pleasant to hear, stirring up warm feelings of nostalgia in the man's chest, and for a brief moment, his anger was forgotten.

 

After exiting the building to investigate, a shimmer of light underneath the outstretched branches of the oak tree caught his sight. Without hesitating, Chanyeol sprinted up the hill, cursing his weak legs as his thighs burned.

Standing beside his grave, translucent in appearance, was Kyungsoo's spirit. He looked at Chanyeol with sad eyes, yet a warm smile played on his heart-shaped lips.

"Kyungsoo." Chanyeol uttered breathlessly as he made his way to the man.

 

"You wanted me to say hi?" Kyungsoo laughed, the familiar ring of which made Chanyeol's heart soar. "Hi."

 

Unable to contain his emotions anymore, Chanyeol started to sob uncontrollably, barely able to speak a coherent sentence. "Y-you…yo-u…what do you mean hi?!"

 

Wide-eyed, Kyungsoo attempted to place a hand on his shoulder, only to remember that his form couldn't interact with the physical world. "I'm sorry for not saying anything sooner, but I thought that if I stayed any longer, I would only upset you even more."

 

"Upset me? You've only upset me by staying silent." Chanyeol burst out, voice thick with mucus. He didn't care how awful his crying face was, all that mattered was that Kyungsoo was there, talking to him again. "Why didn't you say goodbye? Don't you know how lonely I've been without you?"

 

"…I really do regret leaving you the way I did, but it was a choice that I had to make. I had to let my father's body rest in peace." Kyungsoo replied quietly. "And this isn't goodbye."

 

"What do you mean?" Chanyeol asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

 

"Take care of the shop while I'm gone." Kyungsoo responded ambiguously, the small smile on his face unwavering. "I'm sure we'll see each other again."

With those words, the edges of Kyungsoo's spirit began to fray as his form began to disappear once again.

 

As his heart sank, Chanyeol desperately tried to grab hold of the man, only to find that his hand had distorted Kyungsoo's image like a broken reflection. "Wait, you can't be leaving already. Why… _why_?"

 

"Don't be sad, Chanyeol." Kyungsoo's voice assured him, the volume of which had died significantly along with the clarity of his body. "We'll meet again, I promise you."

Just as quickly as he had appeared, Kyungsoo was gone from the world again, leaving Chanyeol alone on the hill with nothing but the silent graves to comfort him.

 

A family of sparrows was perched on the branches of the oak tree, singing a song for the solitary man as the heat of the summer's day embraced him.

Looking down at the key in his hand, a million thoughts ran through Chanyeol's mind, most of which consisted of Kyungsoo.

Sighing, he sealed the key in his fist. "I guess becoming a shopkeeper was _one_ of my dreams as a child."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's merchant!Yeol's time to shine  
> Sort of.


	23. You and I

After returning to Duras to reveal his change of plans, his friends had insisted on accompanying him to Tenilur to look around the shop.

Luckily for Chanyeol, the sight of the dust had evoked strong feelings of disgust in Minseok, who had refused to leave until not a speck of dirt was in his presence. In a matter of hours, the shelves had been polished, the floor swept clean and the "Certificate of Ownership" hung on the wall beside the counter.

The bed of grime that coated the merchandise had eventually been removed, revealing several handmade wooden trinkets, all of which bore Amber's name and the name of her woodworking shop, the very same one Chanyeol had happened to pass by on his third return to Tenilur.

 

"So what goods are you planning on selling?" Jongdae asked Chanyeol as he absentmindedly fiddled with the brass handles of a chest of drawers, uncaring of the racket he was making.

 

"I don't know." Chanyeol answered dismissively as he reclined in his seat behind the counter.

 

"How are you going to advertise this place?" Baekhyun continued, enthralled by a small doll with a bobbing head that was perched on one of the shelves.

 

"Not a clue." Chanyeol yawned, the cosy heat lulling him into a state of idleness.

 

Whilst examining the needlework of a quilt spread over a display table, Jongin chimed in. "Where are you going to live? You can't keep going back and forth from here to Duras."

 

Shrugging, Chanyeol began scraping the dirt off his nails out of boredom, "Don't know about that either."

 

"Okay, so what  _do_  you know?" Minseok sighed, grimacing at the sight of Chanyeol's filthy nails.

 

"…That I'm a shopkeeper now?" Chanyeol replied hesitantly.

 

As they all groaned in unison, Junmyeon came back with a bag of food, the smell of which wafted in the stuffy air of the small crowded room.

"So I talked to the village elder and he said that there's a small cottage a few buildings down that's unoccupied." He announced, setting down the bag on the centre table. "But…it's Kyungsoo and Yixing's old home."

 

Seemingly unfazed by the news, Chanyeol straightened his back and stretched while the others waited for his reply, "Sounds fine to me."

 

"Are you sure?" Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, dubious of his friend's words. "If you keep this up, you might end up becoming Kyungsoo."

Minseok swiftly whacked the man over the head, finding his comment less than amusing.

 

Ignoring Baekhyun's whining, Chanyeol rose from his seat, "Come on then, I want to see."

 

Prying the paper bag of food from Jongdae's greedy fingers, Junmyeon led the group outside and towards the cottage. Upon reaching the building, Chanyeol observed its similar lacklustre appearance to the pre-cleaned shop: clusters of earthy moss were embedded in the cracks of the black roof tiles; the windows were greyed from the years of neglect; and clinging on to the water pipes were spider webs, which too had been abandoned.

 

"Don't tell me we're cleaning again." Jongdae gulped, side-eyeing Minseok whose keen eyes scanned every nook and cranny of the messy exterior.

 

Cracking his knuckles, Minseok prepared himself for another round of tidying and trimming, "Grab the brooms, we're cleaning again."

As everyone burst into the house, they were surprised to find that the interior was impeccably clean; fresh carnations sat in the vase in the centre of the dining table, and the gleam of the wooden floor suggested that it had recently been wiped down.

 

"Oh, I forgot to mention that Amber's family still takes care of this place." Junmyeon spoke up as he shut the door behind him. "Sorry for, err, disappointing you Minseok." 

 

"This is a minor setback, we can just focus on the outside." Minseok stated undeterred as he dragged Baekhyun and Jongdae by their collars, walking back outside despite the duo's protests. Before Junmyeon had turned to follow them, he noticed Chanyeol lingering about in the living room, his attention drawn to the family portrait hung on the wall.

 

"I'm going to help them, why don't you look around for a bit?" Junmyeon suggested, only to be met with a inattentive nod from his son. Without another word, Junmyeon left to join the others after placing down the paper bag by the doorway.

 

Above a row of crayon drawings pinned on the wall, an oil painting of Yixing holding on to a young Kyungsoo's hand met Chanyeol's gaze. The prominent dimple on the merchant's cheek, the rounded eyes of the child, the warm expressions on both of their faces that no longer existed. Chanyeol had hoped these moments were the ones Kyungsoo thought of before his death.

 

His line of sight shifted to Kyungsoo's drawings, all of which depicted his father and himself in vibrant colours. In the background of each, there was a crescent moon instead of the sun; Chanyeol could feel Kyungsoo's admiration simply by looking, of both Yixing and the celestial body in the sky.

 

Making his way around the house, Chanyeol came across Yixing's bedroom. In the corner was a cradle, above which was a mobile with twinkling stars and a smiling moon. Chanyeol chuckled at how the moon had been a motif in Kyungsoo's childhood, seeing as how even the neatly folded blanket inside the cradle was embroidered with a moonlit starry sky.

The laughter died in his throat when the emptiness of the once-loved home echoed his voice, ringing in his ears as if to mock him.

 

"I don't know what you've planned for me, Soo, but this is honestly quite depressing." Chanyeol mumbled as stepped out into the corridor. His footsteps reverberated around him, the rhythmic tapping accompanying him on his lonely walk. More paintings decorated the walls, most of which were landscapes of the Imperial kingdom; occasionally, unfamiliar scenery would show up, but judging by the architecture and the people, Chanyeol guessed that they were Union cities.

 

While Chanyeol was engrossed in a painting of a wintry forest, the door behind him abruptly opened, revealing Baekhyun with dirt smeared on the bridge of his nose.

"Your father said we should eat first, care to join?" Baekhyun said as he grabbed the bag of food beside his feet. "You can say no if you want, but I'm going with or without you."

 

"I haven't eaten all day, of course I'm going to join." Chanyeol snorted, snatching the bag from Baekhyun's hands as he skirted around the smaller man.

With the summer sun glaring down on the quiet town, the men had their lunch on the grassy slope of the hill, discussing Chanyeol's plan of action since the man himself was reluctant to do so.

 

Eventually, several ideas flowed and after a round of less-than-serious motivational speeches from his companions, Chanyeol started to take his new job a little more seriously, seeing as it had been Kyungsoo's final wish of sorts.

Once the preparations for Chanyeol's new life had been made in the form of a cleaned shop and home, his friends left with words of encouragement and a promise to deliver his luggage.

Despite knowing that his son was a grown man who needn't any babying, Junmyeon ruffled Chanyeol's hair and lectured him about safety, nagging him to visit every once in a while and to go home anytime he was in a rut. Although Chanyeol found his father's constant worrying unnecessary, he appreciated it, more so than he had as a teenager.

 

While still rather unenthusiastic, watching his friends and father leave affirmed the fact that this was his new reality, and truth be told, it was the first time he had ever felt truly alone. Kyungsoo had always been by his side in the most foreign and weirdest of places, but being in Kyungsoo's  _hometown_  somehow seemed more alien to him than Sol and Luna's realm.

 

Perhaps his soul-searching didn't have to happen on a journey across the continent. Perhaps it was spending time in Kyungsoo's memories, living and breathing in the same place that his friend had once called 'home'.

Thinking of it like that, Chanyeol thought that maybe becoming a shopkeeper wasn't so bad.

 

\---

 

As it turned out, despite his initial apprehensiveness, shopkeeping was far more enjoyable than Chanyeol had thought. Although the first few months were simply an adjusting period, considering how Chanyeol was out of his depth with anything related to commerce, the experience he gained from it was tremendous.

 

When Tenilur had heard of Yixing's old shop reopening, they welcomed the new owner with open arms and mountains of food, resulting in a town-wide feast, ones that they had often held when Kyungsoo was a little boy.

Soon enough, Chanyeol found a second family in the residents of Tenilur, all of whom were more than happy to share not only their dinners, but also their memories of Kyungsoo.

 

"He was a quiet boy, but absolutely lovely." One of the mothers cooed as she spoke fondly of the man." It is a shame that it turned out this way for him."

 

"Yixing and him would always gather extra firewood for the other families, even when the snow was inches thick." Another one chimed in, bouncing her wailing baby on her knee. "Ha! Amber would always give them a piece of her mind for not dressing warmly enough."

 

"I heard that the man who bought Kyungsoo and Chrystal was killed by his own son." An elderly man joined the conversation, pinching the last persimmon roll from the plate on the centre of the picnic blanket. "Maybe karma is real."

 

Chanyeol listened in on their conversation intently, laughing at Kyungsoo's cuter moments, smiling when they gushed over Kyungsoo's adorable face. There were times when he remained silent, choosing to let the other topics wash over him as he relished the taste of the village elder's apricot tart.

The gatherings became a common occurrence, sometimes initiated by visits from his friends in Duras: Jongdae would often come along simply to try and sweet-talk the grandmothers into giving him their old family recipes, while Baekhyun just wanted to stuff his face for free.

 

Years down the line, there was the inevitable question of whether or not Chanyeol wanted to start a family. Despite the village elder and Junmyeon's attempts at match-making, Chanyeol declined every man and woman that they set him up with.

It wasn't his blinding loyalty to Kyungsoo, or perhaps it was and he just didn't want to admit it, but it was merely because he didn't want a family. He didn't want children. He didn't want a wife or a husband.

 

Responsibility was a scary thing, and although Chanyeol felt like he had a duty to carry on the family name, he still didn't want any of that. Maybe it was the six years of stagnated mental maturity, or the fear of losing a person he fell in love with again. Maybe, somewhere in the back of his mind, he didn't want to upset Kyungsoo, even though they were never explicitly in a relationship and the smaller man had never commented on the nature of their friendship.

 

Eventually, those thoughts faded with age, which naturally brought a change to his original mindset. Upon reaching his mid-thirties, Chanyeol knew that couldn't afford to spend his life lingering on Kyungsoo. Around the same time, "The Lakeside Moon" had branched out, turning into a trading company with the help of Jongin, who was a surprisingly capable businessman despite his personality. Jongin never stated where he had gained those skills from, and Chanyeol didn't want to pry out of respect.

 

Sometime later, Baekhyun married and had a child. It was at that moment that Chanyeol knew he had to move on with his life. His father's dying wish was to see him happy, but Chanyeol could tell, with good intentions, that Junmyeon just wanted to see his son with a family who would take care of him when he was old.

 

One marriage and two children later, his father's wish was ultimately fulfilled at the expense of Chanyeol's happiness. While he had affections for his wife and twin children, Chanyeol often times wondered whether he was a good enough husband and father.

Long weeks were spent on business trips, far and away from his family; Jongin, who had become his right-hand man in his company and accompanied him on said trips, managed to balance family life and work life exceedingly well, while Chanyeol struggled with the former. It was by no means an unhappy marriage, but Chanyeol's relationship with his wife left much to be desired.

 

As the years flew by, his children grew up with a relatively strong bond with their father, and eventually left Tenilur to pursue higher education in the Union sector of Irem-Unis. The relationship between Chanyeol and his wife had dulled, neither strained nor improving, but they had worked around each other's weaknesses, settling into a routine that prolonged the longevity of their marriage.

 

While the world had changed around the hill with a large oak tree, Chanyeol never failed to visit his friend. Even when his bones were creaking and his limbs were weak, the journey up the emerald slopes was one part of his life that hadn't changed.

 

"Soo, have you grown tired of me yet?" Chanyeol laughed, his voice rough and breaking. Autumn was an especially beautiful time of the year: the sturdy branches of the oak tree were adorned with warm reds and oranges while a bed of crinkling leaves lay beneath, concealing the dampened earth.

 

"I think Jinah's making pumpkin soup, and here I am, being a good husband by not helping." Chanyeol continued, his smile fading into a sad frown framed by wrinkles in the corners of his lips. Quietened by guilt, his voice was a fatigued whisper, "She deserved someone better than the likes of me."

 

A sharp wind howled in the distance, cutting through the grass blades in sweeping motions, "I think I'll be meeting you again soon. Just wait a little longer."

Chanyeol turned to leave, the cold autumn air pricking at his ears and the tip of his nose. At the foot of the hill, Jinah called his name, waving a kitchen towel in the air.

The row of graves watched his departure from the peak of the hill - the last one he would ever make.

 

\---

 

 

 

One hundred years after the war in Irem-Unis, the Coelestia had produced enough energy to reform the Dracones.

Unbeknownst to the Children of Man, fragments of the deceased Channels' original souls embedded in the body of the Earth ascended to the sister realm, joining the Overseer's side in his treasured home.

Rising from the darkness, flowing rivers and breath-taking flora adorned the empty earth of the Dracones, breathing life into the stilted landscape. Grand buildings made with marble and gold were erected in bursts of light, their designs being architectural marvels that humans could only ever dream about.

 

As Terra finished his preparations for the coming of the new Dragons, he observed his realm, satisfied with his efforts. With a motion of his hand, a connection between the Coelestia and the Dracones was established in the form of a Gate.

From it, the souls of bygone Channels entered the realm, awestruck as they set foot into an unfamiliar environment.

Amongst the many faces had been Kyungsoo, who immediately caught sight of Terra watching from afar on the terrace of an adjacent building. Before he could react, Kyungsoo's body materialised at Terra's side.

 

"It's been a while." Terra greeted him, his emerald irises glinting in delight.

 

"Yeah, it has, and you haven't changed one bit, Sehun. Except maybe for the green hair, but I can live with that." Kyungsoo commented, quickly glancing at the Gate below.

 

"I'm guessing that you're waiting for Chanyeol?" Terra grinned, jabbing Kyungsoo's side with elbow teasingly. "And it's Terra, not Sehun."

 

"Well right now, you're acting like Sehun, so you're Sehun." Kyungsoo stated matter-of-factly, swatting the man's hand away. "At what age did you become Overseer? You actually look a bit older."

 

"In human terms, I suppose I was twenty years old." Terra hummed in thought as he watched the Channels continue to stream into the Dracones. "So how do you feel about becoming a Dragon? Did you like my introductory speech during your transition from the Coelestia?"

 

"I admired your confidence. Let's leave it at that." Kyungsoo stifled the urge to laugh, which Sehun was none to pleased about.

 

Frowning, Sehun decided to trick the smaller man out of spite, "Oh look, it's Chanyeol!"

 

"Where?!" Kyungsoo leaned over the railings, scanning the many faces for his friend. When Chanyeol was nowhere in sight, he turned around to Sehun, who was practically on the floor laughing. "Die in a hole, brat."

 

Ignoring Kyungsoo's malicious glares, Sehun wiped the tears from his eyes as he composed himself, "Ahem. You must have really missed him."

 

"And what if I did?" Kyungsoo retorted. He propped himself against a marble pillar, carefully examining each individual's face in silence. With arms folded, he tapped the crevice of his elbow impatiently.

 

"What if he doesn't show up?" Sehun said in mock concern as he stood on the railing, balancing himself against a pillar. "What if he gets stuck in the Gate? What if he ends up in a completely different realm?"

 

"What if you shut your mouth for a second?" Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, fighting the urge to push Sehun off and on to the street below. "He should be here any minute now."

 

"Tell me again why you refused to visit Chanyeol after you begged me to make that certificate of ownership? That's a bit cruel, isn't it?" Sehun asked out of curiosity, even though he was sure of the answer already.

 

"You already know, and even if I tell you, you'll still laugh at me." Kyungsoo answered, eyes downcast and staring blankly at his feet.

"It should've been me beside him." He confessed quietly, his voice barely audible to the Dragon. Pretending to be entranced by the ripples of light dancing on the floor of the terrace, Kyungsoo kept his head down to avoid Sehun's gaze.

 

Although he could tell Kyungsoo was mildly uncomfortable, Sehun continued to press on with his questioning, changing his tone to a more sympathetic one, "Why? Tell me, I won't laugh."

Unknown to the smaller man, the Dragon's attention had been directed elsewhere, head slightly tilted in concentration.

 

"Because I love him. For the past one hundred years, I haven't stopped loving him." Kyungsoo's voice began to strain as his throat tightened at the thought of Chanyeol, vision blurring from the tears. Flushed red, his face burned with embarrassment and anxiety.

Even though he never showed himself to Chanyeol after he gave him Yixing's key, Kyungsoo had always been present during Chanyeol's visits to his grave.

Their one-sided conversations had affirmed Kyungsoo's love for Chanyeol, which only served to exacerbate his loneliness when he had later witnessed the man he cherished so dearly marry another person, have children, grow old and die.

During all those moments, Kyungsoo remained silent, watching with a heavy heart despite being proud of Chanyeol's growth as a person.

 

Sehun didn't speak a word in response, instead choosing to observe the length of the terrace with an expressionless face.

From behind Kyungsoo, two arms wrapped around his waist as a chin rested snugly on his shoulder.

"Neither have I." The deep familiar voice ringed in Kyungsoo's ear, melting all the worries away in an instant.

 

As Sehun withdrew into the building, a pleased grin on his lips, Kyungsoo loosened himself from the grip and spun around to face the taller man. Chanyeol's appearance was exactly the same as when Kyungsoo had last left him at Tenilur, a decision that Sehun most likely played a part in, for which Kyungsoo was more than thankful.

 

"I…I don't know what to say." Kyungsoo admitted, having become at a loss for words. Those familiar eyes looked at him lovingly, and it was enough to make Kyungsoo's heart want to burst.

 

"How about 'thanks for turning my father's business into a world-renowned trading company'?" Chanyeol suggested with a smirk on his lips, taking in the sight of Kyungsoo's face. Those owlish eyes that stared at him affectionately sent shots of adrenaline running through his bloodstream, making the beating of his heart become unbearably loud.

 

"World-renowned is _a bit_  of a stretch." Kyungsoo chuckled, sliding his hand around the back of Chanyeol's neck. "I'd say well-known at best."

 

"Hmm, I thi-" Just as Chanyeol began to disagree, Kyungsoo pulled Chanyeol's head down by the neck while he tiptoed to match their heights. Without speaking a word, Kyungsoo pressed his lips against Chanyeol's.

 

Surprised, Chanyeol remained frozen as the warmth of Kyungsoo's touch seeped into his skin. With his other hand, Kyungsoo tugged at Chanyeol's bottom lip with his thumb, urging Chanyeol's lips to part. The taller man relaxed and held Kyungsoo closer to his body, their mouths interlocked in a kiss.

 

Around them, stretching on for miles beyond their sight, the new Dracones thrived under the command of the Overseer. Though fate had often times left them struggling in the dark, one hundred years apart would be rewarded with an eternity together as their intertwined souls would dance in a never-ending cycle of beginnings and ends.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> It's been great fun writing this fic and I hope you liked it :D


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